rran 


THE  KNIGHT-ERRANT 


"  I've  studied  it  all  out  and  there  is  mighty  little  demand 
for  a  duffer  like  me.''     See  6a?i-  1> 


THE     KNIGHT-ERRANT 

A  NOVEL  OF  TO-DAY 


BY 

ROBERT  ALEXANDER  WASON 

AUTHOR  OF   "HAPPY   HAWKINS,"    ETC.,   ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY 
HANSON  BOOTH 


BOSTON 

SMALL,  MAYNARD  &  COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT,   1911 

BY  SMALL,  MAYNARD  AND  COMPANY 
(INCORPORATED) 


Entered  at  Stationers^  Hall 


THE    UNIVERSITY    PRESS,    CAMBRIDGE,    U.  S.  A. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I     SHE  THROWS   HER   GLOVE i 

II     PHIL  Is  DISPOSED  TO  LEAP  AFTER 16 

III  THE  COLONEL  ADVISES  CARE 33 

IV  SKATE  MORTON  Is  INTERESTED 48 

V    NATHAN  MEYER  SUGGESTS  CAUTION 56 

VI  EDITH  Is  THREATENED  WITH  REPENTANCE  ....     64 

VII     PHIL  Is  QUITE  COMPLACENT 74 

VIII    A  GENERAL  MELEE 86 

IX    AN  UNEXPECTED  THRUST 97 

X    HONORS  THRUST  UPON  THE  COLONEL no 

XI     PHIL  BEGINS  His  QUEST 123 

XII    A  LACK  OF  ARMOR 131 

XIII  THE  LONE  DAMSEL  APPEARS 141 

XIV  AN  UNUSUAL  PROPOSITION 154 

XV    A   SHADY  BYPATH 162 

XVI    ANOTHER  LONE  DAMSEL 169 

XVII    PHIL  WINS  A  TILT 185 

XVIII    HE  TENDERS  His  RESIGNATION 193 

XIX    DISTURBING   THEORIES 201 

XX    EXIT  THE  GOLDEN-HAIRED  GIRL 213 

XXI    THE  ENCHANTRESS 228 

XXII     PHIL  Is  DIRECTED 243 

XXIII  A   WIDE  DETOUR 257 

XXIV  LAZY  BILL  ADVISES     .     .     . 271 

XXV    A  STRICTLY  NEW  LADY 281 

XXVI    A  HARD  FALL 287 

XXVII     PHIL  REBELS 299 

XXVIII     CLOSE  TO  THE  BRINK 313 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXIX    THE  GRIM  GRAY  VALLEY 321 

XXX    OUTSIDE  THE  WORLD 329 

XXXI    INITIAL  STEPS 339 

XXXII    A  PEACEFUL  PAUSE 349 

XXXIII  A  NEW  COMRADE 355 

XXXIV  THE  WHEEL  OF  FATE 366 

XXXV    AN  IDEAL  FEAST 374 

XXXVI    A  FEAST-IDYL 384 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

"  I  've  studied  it  all  out  and  there  is  mighty  little  demand 

for  a  duffer  like  me."     See  page  12  .      .      .      .  Frontispiece 

PAGE 

"  They  will  be  able  to  tell  just  how  many  kinds  of  an  idiot 
I  have  been  and  just  how  much  I  have  lost  and  just  why 
I  pulled  up  stakes  and  slipped  off  between  two  days."  126 

"  I  shall  be  to  you  what  all  women,  but  no  one  woman 

has  been  before."     See  page  235 236 

"  I  hate  you,  I  hate  you,"  Phil  cried  fiercely     ....  320 

Critical  moments  have  this  unpleasant  habit  of  stripping 
formality  from  us  and  leaving  our  souls  naked  and 
our  inmost  emotions  bare  to  all  the  world  ....  394 


THE  FORETHOUGHT 

When  the  idea  of  eternity  enters  a  mind,  as  it  occa- 
sionally does  at  most  inopportune  moments,  the  mind  is 
stricken  numb  with  awe  and  dread.  A  mind  is  a  ventur- 
some  entity  and  is  forever  striving  to  think  about  the  un- 
thinkable; but  it  is  never  completely  smothered  in  its  own 
weakness  until  it  attempts  to  conceive  the  infinite.  "  There 
never  was  a  beginning,  there  never  will  be  an  end."  When 
this  particular  thought  begins  its  horrid  tramp  around  that 
deeply-trodden  brain-circle  we  all  shun,  it  not  infrequently 
suggests  suicide  as  the  logical  escape  from  the  burdens  and 
responsibilities  of  life. 

But,  shocking  as  this  suggestion  is,  it  is  perhaps  less  fool- 
ish than  is  the  attempt  to  think  the  thought  which  en- 
genders it.  It  is  as  though  one  were  to  chain  one  foot  to 
New  York,  hitch  an  engine  to  the  other,  and  start  the 
engine  toward  Chicago.  It  would  be  an  extremely  painful 
stretch;  and  so  the  mind  receives  a  painful  stretch  when 
it  attempts  to  envelope  something  infinitely  larger  than 
itself.  To  walk  from  New  York  to  Chicago  a  step  at  a 
time  would  be  a  pleasant,  and  in  most  cases,  a  beneficial 
journey ;  even  as  the  contemplation  of  any  appropriate  por- 
tion of  time  is  a  pleasant  and  profitable  exercise  for  the 
mind.  The  difficulty  is,  that  both  minds  and  feet  find  it 
hard  to  confine  themselves  to  their  own  limitations. 

As  far  as  the  human  mind  is  concerned,  nothing,  abso- 
lutely nothing,  ever  had  a  beginning  or  will  have  an  end. 

v 


vi  THE    FORETHOUGHT 

When  did  your  last  meal  begin?  Probably  coal  in  some 
form  was  used  in  its  preparation;  and  when  did  the  coal 
begin?  It  was  formerly  an  immense  weed  which  evolved 
from  a  water  plant  which  —  But  already  one  is  on  a  circle 
the  immensity  of  which  is  stupefying.  If  we  consider  the 
food  there  is  no  relief:  we  have  traced  back  the  evolution 
of  cattle  until  it  loses  itself  in  a  small,  rough  creature  bear- 
ing no  resemblance  to  the  prize  steers  with  their  billiard- 
table  backs  and  sedentary  habits;  and  the  same  is  true  of 
the  forage  upon  which  modern  cattle  are  prepared  for  the 
final  sacrifice.  The  entire  universe  perceptible  to  man's 
senses,  is  rushing  through  space  and  eternity  from  a  posi- 
tion which  is  unthinkable  to  a  position  which  is  equally 
unthinkable;  and  it  merely  depends  upon  our  viewpoint 
whether  or  not  the  entire  scheme  is  simple  or  complex. 
To  the  oyster  it  is  very  simple,  to  the  scientist  it  is  ter- 
rifically complex;  so  we  see  that  after  all  there  is  much 
compensation  in  not  having  formed  the  habit  of  thought 

Indeed,  true  meditation  is  a  harrowing  experience.  Take, 
for  instance,  a  commonplace,  familiar  subject  like  man. 
Packed  away  in  every  man  is  the  epitome  of  human  his- 
tory with  all  its  endless  vagaries.  Eras,  customs,  traits, 
all  the  social  and  individualistic  vagaries  of  life  are  mixed 
in  each  personality  like  the  geological  strata  in  the  whirl- 
ing sphere  we  have  elected  to  call  the  Earth.  Physical 
cataclysms  heave  up  the  shattered  ends  of  these  geological 
strata  in  the  most  unexpected  places;  even  as  emotional 
cataclysms  throw  to  the  surface  human  traits  which  have 
not  been  generally  normal  for  thousands  of  years,  and 
many  a  modern  has  felt  his  blood  chill  with  horror  when 
into  the  eyes  of  one  of  his  fellows  has  suddenly  glittered 
the  atavistic  glare  which  was  merely  the  business  expres- 


THE    FORETHOUGHT  vii 

sion  of  his  cave-dwelling  ancestor.  Thus  we  sometimes 
see  a  weary  clerk  glance  absent-mindedly  out  through  a 
tenth  story  window,  while  deep  in  the  heart  which  he  does 
not  himself  understand,  there  is  a  hungry  yearning  for  the 
shepherd  crook,  the  fleecy  flock,  and  the  soothing  repose 
of  the  mountain  peaks  above  the  fat  green  pastures;  but 
strangest  of  all,  we  occasionally  see  the  charming  strata 
of  Chivalry,  streaked  with  all  its  curious  inconsistencies, 
poking  its  way  up  through  the  hard,  practical  crust  of  pres- 
ent-day Capitalism. 

All  this  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  following 
novel,  and  doubtless  the  reader  is  entitled  to  an  apology; 
but  when  the  author  seated  himself  upon  a  quiet  porch  to 
begin  he  inadvertently  glanced  at  the  adjacent  body  of 
water,  and  these  thoughts  came  bobbing  in  with  the  waves ; 
and  as  they  refused  to  break  and  spread  upon  the  beach  as 
the  waves  did,  he  has  found  it  necessary  to  slap  them  on 
paper  and  pass  them  along. 

It  really  is  arbitrary  and  somewhat  impudent  to  select 
a  few  links  from  an  unbroken  chain  which  reaches  back 
to  that  misty  period  when  the  Morning  Stars  were  sing- 
ing together  over  what  they,  in  their  innocence,  were 
pleased  to  believe  was  the  dawn  of  a  new  creation,  and  to 
call  one  of  these  links,  the  beginning,  and  another  link, 
the  end.  Neither  history  nor  fiction  deals  with  begin- 
nings or  ends ;  but  merely  draws  the  veil  aside  for  a  few  mo- 
ments to  give  a  clearer  view  of  the  motley  parade  which 
marches  so  bravely  along  the  dizzy  path,  coming  from  no 
whither  and  going  to  no  thither,  yet,  for  all  that,  taking 
itself  very,  very  seriously. 

And  now,  with  no  fear  of  being  misunderstood,  we  shall 
state  that  this  story  opens  on  a  hot  July  afternoon  in  the 


viii  THE    FORETHOUGHT 

year  nineteen  hundred,  upon  a  road  leading  out  of  that 
town  which  means  so  many  different  things  to  so  many 
different  people  but  which  is  familiarly  known  to  all  the 
world  as,  Little  Old  New  York. 

R.  A.  W. 


THE  KNIGHT-ERRANT 


THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 


CHAPTER  ONE 

SHE   THROWS    HER   GLOVE 

"WHERE  are  you  going?"  asked  Edith  Hampton.  It 
was  a  clear  July  day  and  the  speed  of  the  car  successfully 
offset  the  heat  of  the  day. 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Phil  Lytton  with  his  usual 
smile.  "  What  does  it  matter  ?  " 

Edith  leaned  back  with  a  sigh  which  was  meant  to  be  a 
symbol  of  resignation.  Resignation,  however,  was  not  one 
of  her  characteristics ;  and  in  a  moment  she  straightened 
and  looked  at  Phil  reprovingly.  He  knew  she  would  and 
had  no  opposing  prejudices  in  the  matter.  If  it  had  really 
been  necessary,  Phil  was  an  individual  who  really  had  it  in 
his  make-up  to  be  resigned. 

"  Phil  Lytton,"  she  said,  "  you  are  positively  provoking. 
Your  entire  life  as  well  as  every  little  detail  of  it  is  con- 
tained in  that  answer.  You  don't  have  one  single  serious 
purpose,  and  you  don't  see  why  it  should  matter  that  you 
should  have  one." 

"  No,"  he  replied  with  perfect  candor  and  perfect  good 
humor,  "  for  the  life  of  me,  I  can't  see  why  I  should  ever- 
lastingly be  taking  observations  like  a  mariner  in  a  fog  on 
an  unknown  coast." 

"  Observations  cannot  be  taken  in  a  fog,"  corrected  Edith 

I 


2  THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

with  her  usual  rectitude.  "  Worrying  over  you  is  actually 
aging  me  before  my  time." 

"  I  have  repeatedly  pointed  out  that  it  was  not  necessary 
to  worry,"  he  observed  calmly.  "  Why  don't  you  be  rea- 
sonable? I  have  a  safe  and  satisfactory  income,  I  have 
good  health  and  pleasant  friends,  I  have  a  nice  little  round 
of  amusements  and  recreations,  I  have  —  It  is  exactly  like 
this  ride.  Now  I  am  not  sure  where  we  are  nor  exactly 
where  we  are  going;  but  the  road  is  good,  the  car  is  chat- 
tering cheerfully,  I  would  not  exchange  my  company  for 
any  other  in  the  world,  no  matter  where  we  go  we  have 
enough  funds  to  insure  decent  entertainment,  and  when  we 
want  to  return  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  set  about  it  and 
doubtless  there  will  be  half  a  dozen  equally  agreeable  ways. 
Why  should  I  stew  myself  into  a  froth  speculating  about  a 
lot  of  things  which  cannot  possibly  add  to  my  enjoyment? 
I  only  want  to  live  one  life  at  a  time,  but  I  want  to  enjoy 
that  one :  you  want  to  live  a  dozen  lives,  and  you  mix  them 
all  up,  and  you  add  the  sorrows  of  the  past  to  the  doubts 
about  the  future  until  your  present  is  merely  a  barren  rock 
with  the  tide  rapidly  rising.  If  you  could  merely  learn  to 
stretch  out  on  a  green  grassy  bank  and  watch  the  clouds 
change  from  one  beautiful  form  to  another,  it  would  do  us 
all  a  heap  of  good.  But  no,  you  would  have  to  know  the 
exact  longitude  and  latitude  of  the  grassy  bank,  its  ant  and 
malaria-germ  population,  its  proximity  to  a  telephone  and  a 
trolley  line,  its  — " 

"  Spat ! ! !  "  interjected  the  tire. 

With  automatic  precision  Phil  brought  the  car  to  a  halt, 
after  which  Edith  remarked  with  dignity :  "  Now  perhaps 
you  also  may  be  interested  in  longitude  and  latitude,  tele- 


SHE    THROWS   HER    GLOVE       3 

phone  and  trolley  car,  and  other  first  aids  to  the  heedless. 
It  always  takes  you  an  age  to  replace  a  tire." 

"  How  perfectly  wrong  you  generally  are,"  replied  the 
imperturbable  Philip  with  an  amused  smile.  "  I  have  dis- 
covered that  repairing  tires  is  not  compatible  to  my  tempera- 
ment ;  so  I  merely  call  up  Wilson  and  have  him  bring  my 
other  car.  If  you  will  compose  your  adorable  form  upon 
yon  aforesaid  grassy  bank,  I  shall  mount  this  young  hill 
and  seek  the  abode  of  the  closest  telephone.  We  are  de- 
cidedly living  in  a  convenient  age." 

"  And  it  is  decidedly  spoiling  you,"  half  pouted  Edith  as 
she  ignored  his  suggestion  and  prepared  to  climb  the  hill 
at  his  side. 

This  was  in  the  early  days  of  motoring,  the  year  nineteen 
hundred  to  be  exact,  and  it  seemed  shocking  to  Edith  that 
any  man  should  permit  another  to  repair  the  wonderful 
French  car.  There  were  a  great  many  of  Phil's  traits  which 
had  this  effect  upon  Edith. 

As  Phil  found  it  irritating  as  well  as  expensive  to  salve 
the  feelings  of  his  fellow  citizens  who  still  drove  horses 
possessed  of  firm  and  active  aversions  to  the  uncanny,  self- 
propelling,  evil-smelling  inventions,  and  as  he  also  admitted 
the  justice  of  the  equine  viewpoint,  he  had  formed  the  habit 
of  selecting  byroads  rather  than  highroads;  and  now  they 
were  both  surprised  to  find,  upon  climbing  the  hill,  that 
by  simply  crossing  a  pasture  lot  they  would  come  to  a  fine 
country  home  whose  telephone  connections  were  plainly 
visible  from  where  they  stood. 

"  See,"  quoth  Philip  with  a  comprehensive  wave  of  the 
hand.  Edith  sighed  as  she  caught  step  with  him  and 
started  across  the  field. 


4  THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  Why  did  you  not  select  this  road  in  the  first  place  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  The  horses,"  he  replied,  a  little  surprised  that  so  use- 
less a  question  should  be  asked.  Phil  had  ready  sympathy 
for  any  creature  in  distress ;  but  it  was  the  sympathy  of  the 
spectator  and  seldom  prompted  him  to  a  definite  action 
which  would  serve  to  permanently  remove  the  lamentable 
condition. 

"  It  seems  pretty  rough,"  he  added  after  a  moment's 
pause,  "  that  immediately  after  having  overcome  their  orig- 
inal convictions  against  bicycles,  the  old  adage  should  not 
infrequently  be  reversed  and  injury  added  to  insult  in  the 
shape  of  independent  motors  which  tear  up  the  road  with- 
out rule  or  reason.  Of  course  they  will  have  to  come  to 
it  in  time;  but  I  am  minded  to  break  it  to  them  as  gently 
as  possible." 

"  You  are  certainly  a  peculiar  combination,"  said  Edith, 
looking  at  Phil  but  speaking  to  herself. 

She  waited  at  the  gate  while  Phil  went  up  to  the  house 
and  was  cordially  extended  the  privilege  of  the  telephone. 
Very,  very  seldom  were  favors  granted  grudgingly  to  Phil 
Lytton.  There  was  a  boyish  assurance  about  him  which 
was  as  far  from  affectation  as  it  was  from  impertinence 
and  he  candidly  made  known  his  desires  with  the  blissful 
confidence  that  if  it  were  possible  they  would  be  satisfied. 
His  eyes  held  an  unexpected  trace  of  sadness,  but  all  the 
rest  of  his  features  seemed  just  at  the  point  of  breaking 
into  a  quiet  smile.  He  was  clean  and  trim  and  tall,  his 
clothing  was  stylish  and  tasteful,  everything  about  him  be- 
spoke the  presence  of  one  in  high  favor;  so  that  it  was  not 
at  all  surprising  that  the  rays  of  cheery  content  he  scat- 
tered so  freely  made  him  welcome  wherever  he  chose  to  go. 


SHE    THROWS   HER    GLOVE       5 

He  talked  a  minute  or  two  with  his  hostess  of  the  mo- 
ment, found,  as  usual,  that  they  had  a  few  mutual  friends 
—  Phil  was  so  intensely  aristocratic  that  it  was  impossible 
for  him  to  be  snobbish  and  his  friends  were  scattered 
through  Society  from  the  lowest  layer  to  the  very  top  — 
and  then  he  rejoined  Edith,  who,  having  begun  to  miss  him, 
was  naturally  more  incensed  with  him  than  ever. 

Edith's  mind  was  logical  and  consistent  —  which  is 
scarcely  a  safe  condition  for  the  feminine  mind.  The  same 
cause  would  invariably  produce  the  same  effect  with  her, 
and  it  always  irritated  her  to  have  Phil  escape  the  just  con- 
sequences of  his  own  heedlessness  through  favorable  cir- 
cumstances which  could  be  ascribed  to  nothing  except 
luck. 

"  Instead  of  being  shipwrecked  mariners  taking  foggy  ob- 
servations on  a  rockbound  coast,  we  have  come  to  anchor 
in  a  delightful  port  and  all  the  joy-lamps  are  lighted  in  our 
honor.  Mrs.  Morton  wants  us  to  stay  to  early  tea,  after 
which  she  will  drive  us  to  the  station." 

"  Who  is  Mrs.  Morton  ?  "  demanded  Edith  coldly. 

"  Why,  she  's  almost  the  regular  aunt  of  Old  Skate  Mor- 
ton. He  used  to  come  here  to  do  his  spring  vacations,  and 
I  Ve  heard  him  say  a  hundred  times  that  food  was  her  long 
suit." 

"  I  do  not  think  we  should  stay." 

"  Well,  I  thought  you  'd  think  along  that  line,  so  I  re- 
gretted for  us  both.  We  '11  have  to  run  the  new  car  back, 
anyway.  Let 's  go  on  to  that  still  higher  hill  and  see  all 
there  is  to  see  while  we  wait  for  Wilson.  Isn't  this  a 
glorious  afternoon  —  I  wonder  where  this  breeze  hails  from? 
When  I  desire  a  summer  home,  I  '11  have  the  Mortons  select 
the  site.  Mrs.  Morton  wants  me  to  come  out  the  first  week 


6  THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

in  August :  the  Skate  will  be  here  and  she  says  she  '11  turn 
the  place  over  to  us." 

"  Are  you  going  to  accept  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  did  n't  accept  definitely.  It 's  too  far  ahead.  I 
told  her  that  I  had  half  promised  to  go  half  a  dozen  other 
places;  but  that  I  should  much  prefer  to  come  here  and  if 
I  could  possibly  arrange  it,  I  'd  come.  I  have  n't  seen  much 
of  the  Skate  lately  and  a  little  reunion  would  go  fine." 

"  Phil  Lytton,  are  you  never  going  to  mature  ?  " 

"  Not  if  my  vote  is  the  deciding  one,"  he  replied  gaily. 

"  You  seem  to  take  as  active  an  interest  in  your  own 
career  as  though  you  were  one  of  the  little  cubes  used  to 
play  dice.  You  let  circumstances  be  the  shaker  and  care 
not  a  whit  in  what  direction  you  are  thrown." 

"  What 's  the  use?  Would  n't  it  be  stimulating  if  I  were 
to  look  on  a  week's  outing  as  part  of  my  career  and  divide 
and  multiply  and  add  in  order  to  see  how  I  could  make  it 
pay  best  ?  No  matter  where  I  go,  I  '11  have  a  good  time 
and  come  back  feeling  fresh  and  young  again." 

"  Again  ?  "  repeated  Edith  with  curious  inflection. 

"  Well,  here  we  are  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  —  Well, 
what  do  you  know  about  this!  You  can  call  me  a  sage  if 
yon  silvery  glint  is  n't  our  old  friend  the  Sound.  Who  'd 
have  expected  to  find  Long  Island  Sound  in  this  neighbor- 
hood —  right  in  the  busy  season,  too.  Oh,  this  is  as  full  of 
promise  as  a  table  of  contents.  Sit  thee  down,  fair  maid ; 
and  for.  the  love  of  Mike,  relax  yourself  for  a  few  mo- 
ments." 

Edith  seated  herself  sedately,  but  instead  of  looking  at 
the  distant  Sound,  she  fixed  her  gaze  upon  Phil.  "  You 
don't  think  I  nag  at  you  because  I  enjoy  it,  do  you,  Phil? " 
she  asked  him. 


SHE   THROWS    HER    GLOVE       7 

"  Heavens,  no,"  he  replied  serenely.  "  You  do  it  because 
you  think  it  amuses  me,  and  I  am  lots  more  thankful  than 
I  appear.  Now  relax." 

"  Don't  you  ever  expect  to  have  an  ambition,  a  great  pur- 
pose which  will  absorb  you,  arouse  your  latent  strength 
and  make  you  a  man  among  men  ?  " 

Phil  sighed  while  a  shadow  strayed  across  his  face  to  be 
instantly  followed  by  a  happy  smile  as  he  squirmed  on  the 
rich  grass  and  felt  the  taut  muscles  roll  beneath  his  skin. 
"  A  man  among  men,  eh  ?  Well,  I  sort  o'  feel  that  way 
now.  I  like  to  get  caught  in  a  regular  crush  and  be  a  man 
among  men  to  such  an  extent  that  they  are  pushing  me, 
pulling  me,  and  seeking  to  occupy  the  same  space  that  I  am 
occupying.  Then,  again,  at  other  times  I  like  to  relax. 
Did  you  ever  try  relaxing?  It 's  great." 

"  It  decidedly  is  not  great ;  it  is  dreadfully  commonplace. 
You  are  always  fond  of  appealing  to  the  lower  species  as 
final  authority,  and  in  this  instance  I  ask  you  to  consider 
the  oyster.  The  oyster  spends  his  entire  life  in  a  relaxed 
condition  and  yet  could  anything  be  farther  from  true  great- 
ness than  an  oyster?  " 

"  True  greatness,  my  child,"  answered  Phil  in  a  calmly 
patronizing  tone,  "  is  one  of  life's  pleasing  exceptions,  while 
for  the  purposes  of  study,  it  is  well  to  limit  oneself  to  the 
rule.  In  order  to  demonstrate  true  greatness  a  large  char- 
acter must  find  itself  in  the  midst  of  a  critical  situation  in 
which  widespread  results  merge.  The  oyster,  however,  is 
both  a  sport  and  a  gentleman:  it  is  evident  that  you  have  . 
seldom  endeavored  to  open  an  oyster  with  those  two  strong 
hands  of  yours,  or  you  would  not  think  him  a  permanent 
relaxer.  When  he  declines  to  be  bored  he  does  not  make  a 
verbal  fuss,  he  quietly  closes  his  door  and  holds  it  fast  by 


8  THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

his  own  nicely-developed  strength.  The  truly  great  have 
usually  been  violently  executed,  the  worldly  great  have 
generally  degenerated  at  the  sickly  end  of  a  short  career; 
but  the  oyster  — " 

"  You  cannot  compare  a  man  with  an  oyster,"  interrupted 
Edith  impatiently. 

"  I  did  not  think  you  could,"  said  Phil  sweetly ;  "  but  I 
always  try  to  please  you,  and  you  seemed  to  think  it  possi- 
ble. If  you  would  only  keep  your  eyes  on  that  fleecy  cloud 
which  just  at  this  moment  resembles  a  boat  with  a  canopy 
at  the  raised  stern,  and  would  try  to  imagine  yourself  re- 
clining on  a  downy  couch  beneath  that  canopy,  you  would 
find  it  easy  to  relax  and,  no  doubt,  the  gentle  motion  would 
be  most  soothing." 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  soothed ;  I  want  to  be  stimulated. 
I  cannot  take  an  active  share  in  the  great  struggles  of  life, 
myself;  but  I  want  you  to  take  a  leading  part.  Phil,  I 
want  to  live  the  full  life,  the  complete  life.  So  many  people 
in  our  circumstances  give  themselves  up  to  a  continuous 
hunt  for  amusement  until  all  the  real  pleasures  of  life  are 
denied  them.  Pleasure  is  invariably  a  by-product.  When 
one  starts  in  determined  to  be  merry  and  gay,  he  is  gen- 
erally bored  and  peevish,  but  when  he  accepts  a  duty  man- 
fully and  does  it  with  all  his  heart,  he  is  surprised  to  find 
that  his  cup  of  joy  is  overflowing." 

"  A  person  would  suppose,  Edith,"  said  Phil,  sitting 
erect  and  looking  at  her  with  deep  earnestness,  "  that  your 
general  reputation  for  happiness  was  so  enviable  that  count- 
less thousands  had  urged  you  to  go  forth  and  convert  the 
miserable  —  and  that  I  was  the  miserable.  You  have 
juggled  along  with  your  shoulders  worn  callous  from  the 
countless  duties  you  were  manfully  putting  over;  and  yet, 


SHE    THROWS    HER    GLOVE       9 

hanged  if  I  can  see  where  life  is  any  more  of  a  scream  to 
you  than  to  me.  Remember,  I  am  not  complaining:  if  it 
soothes  you  to  preach  at  me  from  now  to  doomsday,  why 
steam  ahead.  I  love  you,  I  suppose  I  always  have  loved 
you,  and  I  know  I  always  shall  love  you.  You  could  n't 
preach  love  into  me,  and  you  can't  preach  it  out;  and  for 
all  I  know  you  may  convince  me  that  I  was  cut  out  for 
the  daily  grind  —  but  I  '11  bet  you  what  you  like  that  it 
would  do  you  more  good  to  relax  than  it  would  me  to  work, 
so  what 's  the  use,  anyway  ?  " 

"  That  is  another  thing,"  said  Edith  after  a  thoughtful 
pause ;  "  you  do  love  me,  you  suppose  you  always  have,  and 
you  know  you  always  will;  but  that  sort  of  feeling  is  not 
really  love.  We  have  been  thrown  together  all  our  lives 
and  we  have  merely  taken  it  for  granted  that  some  day  we 
shall  marry  and,  as  it  is  the  usual  thing  for  love  and  mar- 
riage to  be  associated  ideas,  we  must  be  in  love,  and  that  is 
all  there  is  to  it.  You  never  tried  to  win  me,  you  have 
never  really  made  love  to  me,  you  have  never  done  some 
noble,  worthy  deed,  just  for  my  sake,  and — " 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  do  ? "  cried  Phil.  "  Great 
Scott!  I  have  lugged  home  dozens  of  medals  for  you,  I 
have  carried  a  dray-load  of  football  players  across  a  goal- 
line  for  you,  I  have  taken  you  to  grand  opera,  and  to  New 
Thought  meetings  of  every  kind  and  description,  I  have 
lived  a  fairly  decent  life  for  you,  I  have  — " 

"  Yes,  but  all  these  things  were  general  acts,  fine  enough 
in  their  way ;  but  not  that  great  change  which  a  woman 
wants  to  feel  she  has  made  in  a  man's  life." 

Phil  looked  at  the  clouds,  the  far  off  silver  of  the  Sound, 
and  then  at  an  ant  hill.  The  clouds  were  beautiful  in  their 
ever  changing  softness,  and  yet  in  spite  of  the  endless  varia- 


io          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

tion,  they  seemed  filled  with  repose ;  the  Sound  also  sent  up 
a  shimmering  glitter  which  was  a  harmonious  blend  of  per- 
petual motion  and  eternal  repose ;  but  in  the  ant  hill  — 

"  Edith,"  he  said  solemnly,  "  I  wonder  if  you  will  make 
me  a  saint,  a  devil,  or  merely  an  ordinary  fool?  There 
never  was  anything  which  irritated  me  more  than  being 
told  to  go  to  an  ant  for  real  instruction.  I  'd  rather  be  a 
cloud  than  an  ant !  If  a  confounded  ant  were  to  relax  long 
enough  to  give  a  sigh  of  relief,  he  'd  split  up  the  back  and 
blow  away.  I  'd  rather  be  anything  else  in  the  world  than 
an  ant  —  Now  you  take  a  moth,  and  they  are  generally  held 
up  as  a  warning  to  the  young,  but  I  'd  rather  be  one  moth 
than  a  whole  hill  of  ants !  " 

"  You  are  a  moth,  Phil ;  and  I  fear  that  you  will  have  to 
be  pretty  badly  singed,  at  least;  and  I  hope  that  you  will 
not  utterly  perish  in  the  flame,  which  is  the  common  fate 
of  so  many  of  the  silly  things." 

"  Edith,  you  scatter  practicability,  and  utility,  and  high 
purpose,  and  such  words  like  a  street  sprinkler;  but  your 
outlook  is  fully  as  immature  as  my  own  —  even  if  you  don't 
get  as  much  fun  out  of  it  as  I  do.  I  think  occasionally, 
myself.  I  really  get  a  lot  of  amusement  out  of  quiet  re- 
flection. Just  because  our  philosophies  differ  is  no  absolute 
indication  that  mine  is  wrong. 

"  Did  you  ever  stop  to  consider  that  it  was  the  mystery 
of  life  which  made  it  attractive  ?  The  greater  the  mystery, 
the  greater  the  attraction.  Take  the  mystery  out  of  re- 
ligion and  who  would  stand  for  being  a  martyr?  An  ant 
has  no  mystery,  and  I  have  often  thought  that  the  reason 
they  rush  around  so,  sticking  their  noses  into  everything, 
is  because  they  were  hunting  up  something  they  could  n't 
understand.  I  'd  as  soon  be  a  gimlet  as  an  ant !  But  a 


SHE    THROWS   HER    GLOVE      n 

moth  —  Ah,  he  is  the  boy  that  revels  in  mystery;  he  loses 
himself  in  it,  he  becomes  completely  absorbed  in  it,  he 
forgets  his  own  tiny  being  and  merges  himself  with  true 
infinity,  in  the  only  way  possible  for  a  finite  creature  to 
feel  the  blissful  content  which,  perforce,  must  be  a  charac- 
teristic of  the  infinite.  The  barren  life  is  the  logical  one, 
the  mathematical  one,  the  one  which  is  chained  within  the 
circle  of  reason.  The  fruitful  life  which  blooms  without 
thought  of  its  prodigality,  is  the  life  which  feels  on  every 
side  of  it  the  great,  enveloping  mysteries  of  creation,  and 
therefore  does  not  care  a  white  bean  whether  or  not  it  piles 
up  each  minute  a  given  amount  of  bricks  or  straw,  or  what- 
ever it  has  set  itself  as  a  worthy  stint.  Just  to  live  is  glory 
enough,  if  the  life  currents  surge  along  with  a  song." 

Phil's  voice  was  mellow  and  musical  like  the  voice  of 
some  old  time  shepherd  poet,  and  Edith  listened  with  a 
fascination  she  fought  against  as  an  indication  of  weakness. 
His  philosophy  had  no  effect  upon  her.  In  fact,  she  would 
not  have  dignified  it  by  the  name  of  philosophy;  but  he, 
himself,  his  clear  skin,  his  deep  eyes  with  their  unexpected 
trace  of  sadness,  and  his  voice  which  made  little  inner 
nerves  vibrate  in  unison  with  its  own  pleasing  melody 
stirred  her  nature  to  its  depths  in  spite  of  watchful  opposi- 
tion. In  the  far  off  days  when  the  world  was  young  and 
trusting,  if  he  had  come  to  her  out  of  the  wood,  she  would 
have  looked  upon  him  as  a  god,  and  would  have  been  su- 
premely happy  —  until  he  went  away  again;  but  this  was 
to-day  and  it  was  woman's  mission  to  be  an  active  force 
in  a  man's  career  and  Phil  could  be  such  a  man  if  only  he 
would  awaken. 

"  It  is  certainly  a  proud  moment  for  me,"  she  said  at  last 
with  forced  sarcasm.  "  I  wonder  if  there  was  ever  another 


12          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

woman  in  the  world  forced  to  hear  the  man  to  whom  she 
was  engaged  express  a  desire  to  be  a  moth." 

"  Especially  when  that  woman  happened  to  be  a  species 
of  gigantic  ant,"  continued  Phil,  mocking  her  tone  and  in- 
flection. "  Oh,  give  it  up,  Edith.  We  can  be  as  happy  as 
white  mice  leading  our  own  lives  together;  but  we  never 
could  go  the  distance  if  we  both  tried  to  lead  one  life.  I 
am  perfectly  willing  to  be  referred  to  as  the  good-natured 
husband  of  that  intellectual  Mrs.  Lytton;  but  I  know  I 
could  never  learn  to  manage  a  career  of  my  own,  so  let  me 
be  your  office  boy  and  messenger.  I  've  studied  it  all  out 
and  there  is  mighty  little  demand  for  a  duffer  like  me.  I 
am  serious;  I  have  gone  over  all  the  vocations  and  avoca- 
tions, and  they  are  crowded  with  better  men  than  myself, 
So  you  relax  like  a  good  girl  and  let  the  world  flop  along 
on  its  own  hook  a  while." 

"  There  is  always  room  at  the  top." 

"  And  there  is  always  a  struggling  mess  of  dopey  dupes 
who  have  been  knocked  silly  by  that  doubly  condemned 
mushy  old  maxim,  and  who  devote  the  balance  of  their 
lives  to  fighting  each  other  like  Kilkenny  cats,  without  any 
more  hope  of  reaching  the  top  than  a  cave  bear  had  of 
inventing  a  telescope.  There  is  no  more  room  at  the  top 
than  there  is  at  the  bottom.  The  top  is  smaller  than  the 
bottom  and  the  topnotchers  are  already  there  and  they  are 
so  mortal  'fraid  of  being  elbowed  that  they  spend  half 
their  time  tramping  on  the  fingers  of  the  strugglers  who 
have  begun  to  show  class.  A  man  who  is  doomed  to  do 
big  things  has  a  special  commission  sewed  into  his  bosom 
before  he  is  born,  and  he  starts  on  his  career,  not  because 
his  friends  and  lovers  urge  him,  but  in  spite  of  all  their 
efforts  to  make  him  a  butcher,  a  baker,  or  a  candle-stick 


SHE    THROWS   HER    GLOVE     13 

maker.  I  tell  you  I  have  looked  into  this  thing,  and  I 
know.  Another  of  your  pet  maxims,  is,  '  Opportunity 
knocks  once  at  every  man's  door '  " —  Phil  said  this  most 
disrespectfully  — "  but  the  truth  is  that  Opportunity  never 
had  a  chance  to  knock  at  the  door  of  the  genuine  ambi- 
tionists.  They  called  around  a  full  hour  before  Oppor- 
tunity was  ready  to  arise,  jerked  her  out  of  bed,  knocked  her 
down  with  a  chair,  and  choked  her  until  she  offered  them 
everything  she  had  for  the  sake  of  peace." 

"  Now,  Phil,  don't  for  pity's  sake  hide  in  the  last  ditch! 
and  whine  that  there  is  no  opportunity  for  a  man  like  you." 

"  For  a  man  like  me  —  that  is  just  it.  I  am  a  hot  house 
flower;  I  have  been  fertilized  and  cultivated  and  cared  for 
until  I  have  lost  the  old,  militant,  grabbing  spirit  of  the  weed. 
I  lack  incentive;  my  great-grandfather,  who  made  the 
fortune,  used  up  the  major  part  of  the  family  allowance, 
his  son  used  up  the  rest,  my  father  tried  to  ruin  the  family 
stamina  through  dissipation ;  and  I  am  trying  to  get  it  back 
through  good,  healthy  sport.  The  fortune  was  left  in 
trust,  old  Nathan  Meyer  who  now  has  charge  of  it  is  hon- 
est and  shrewd,  all  I  have  to  do  is  to  go  down  every  year  or 
so  and  sign  some  papers  and  he  tells  me  how  much  larger 
my  income  will  be,  and  I  hunt  up  new  ways  to  blow  it  in. 
You  should  be  tickled  to  death  that  I  am  fairly  decent  with- 
out spurring  me  on  to  make  some  vague  sort  of  a  killing. 
Now  be  specific  for  once :  just  what  is  it  you  want  me  to 
do?" 

Edith  looked  confused,  pained ;  it  was  very  unjust  for 
him  to  thrust  the  full  responsibility  upon  her.  "  I  do  not 
care  in  the  least  what  you  attempt,  Phil,"  she  began  with 
dignity.  "  The  important  thing  is  that  you  do  attempt 
something." 


i4          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  There  you  are,  there  you  have  it  in  a  nutshell.  Be  an 
ant,  scurry  about,  climb  up  one  blade  of  grass  and  if  you 
don't  find  it  there  climb  another  one  and  when  nervous 
prostration  sets  in,  come  to  me  and  I  shall  nurse  you  with 
an  expression  of  patient  suffering  on  my  face.  Oh,  rats ! 
Imagine  a  coach  saying,  '  Now,  boys,  I  don't  care  what  you 
do  with  the  ball,  just  so  you  keep  it  moving;  the  goal  is  not 
important,  action  is  what  counts ;  it  is  not  necessary  to  have 
any  end  in  view ;  but  it  is  imperative  that  you  play  a  hard, 
fierce  game/  Don't  fourflush  now,  Edith.  You  have  me 
on  the  slide,  pick  out  the  direction  and  give  me  the  final 
push  and  I  '11  give  you  one  beautiful  run  for  your  money." 

"  And  then  if  it  turns  out  badly,  you  '11  spend  the  rest  of 
your  life  reproaching  me."  Edith  was  really  alarmed  at 
the  determination  she  saw  in  Phil's  face. 

His  face  flushed  beneath  its  tan  at  this,  and  his  voice  was 
cold  and  stern.  "  Now,  I  may  be  nothing  but  a  filler-in ; 
but  hanged  if  I  'm  a  welcher.  I  intend  making  a  try  at 
something,  and  I  should  be  heartily  thankful  for  any  sug- 
gestions. If  I  make  a  go  of  it,  you  get  the  credit ;  if  I  lose, 
why  we  '11  say  no  more  about  it.  Now  then,  name  your 
route." 

"  Business  seems  the  most  natural  outlet  for  the  modern 
man's  energy,"  said  Edith  slowly  and  without  enthusiasm; 
"  or  one  of  the  professions,  although  that  would  mean  a 
long  course  of  special  preparation  — " 

"  While  any  dub  can  jump  into  business  and  scoop  the 
seasoned  players  into  his  net,"  interjected  Phil  scoffingly. 
"  Well,  you  have  done  something  with  me  at  last,  anyway. 
I  can  see  now  that  you  could  never  have  loved  me,  just 
for  myself.  I  suppose  that  it  was  given  to  woman  to  urge 
man  into  combat  for  the  good  of  the  race.  All  the  way 


SHE    THROWS   HER    GLOVE     15 

back  you  can  see  where  tender-hearted  woman  has  stood 
on  the  sidelines  with  thumbs  down  and  has  urged  man  to 
gather  enough  scalps  while  he  is  at  it  to  furnish  her  with 
fringe  trimming  for  a  winter  suit.  She  's  a  curious  com- 
bination, woman,  she  wears  dead  birds,  and  the  furs  of 
dead  animals,  and  in  a  good  many  cases  the  blood  of  dead 
men;  but  believe  that  I  am  absolutely  sincere  when  I  say 
that  all  this  has  been  for  the  good  of  the  race,  and  if  I  can't 
make  good  I  am  not  fit  for  you,  so  from  this  minute  you 
are  free  and  when  next  I  make  love  to  you,  I'll  make  love 
like  a  man  —  your  kind  of  a  man." 

She  made  no  reply:  her  lips  were  trembling  and  a  mist 
across  her  eyes  hid  the  silver  sheen  of  the  Sound  upon 
which  they  seemed  to  be  fixed.  She  felt  that  he  was  ter- 
ribly unjust,  but  she  could  not  make  her  own  position  clear 
without  going  into  all  the  details  of  their  conversation,  and 
in  some  way,  this  would  have  appeared  to  have  been  an 
acknowledgment  that  she  had  been  wrong,  while  she  felt 
that  she  had  been  right;  so  they  sat  in  silence  for  quite  a 
period. 

"  I  think  that  Wilson  is  responsible  for  that  dust  in  the 
distance,"  said  Phil  at  last,  "  but  I  am  going  down  to  see  if 
I  can  fix  the  tire  before  he  arrives." 


CHAPTER  TWO 

PHIL   IS   DISPOSED   TO   LEAP   AFTER 

AT  eight  o'clock  next  morning  Philip  Lytton  arose  and 
shaved  himself.  He  was  under  the  shower  and  the  hot 
water  was  dwindling  to  cold  when  there  came  a  startled 
knock  at  the  bathroom  door.  Even  a  dull  ear  could  have 
classified  it  as  a  startled  knock. 

"  Come  in,"  called  Phil.  He  had  no  intention  of  denying 
himself  the  luxury  of  having  the  warm  blood,  he  had 
brought  to  the  surface,  caressed  and  stimulated  by  the 
needle  sprays ;  neither  did  he  see  that  his  natural  condition 
was  a  just  cause  for  keeping  anyone  waiting  at  his  bath- 
room door,  after  he  had  knocked  upon  it  with  a  distinctly 
startled  knock. 

The  door  opened  a  few  inches  and  Phil  faced  it  over  his 
shoulder  with  a  frank  smile  of  welcome ;  but  no  one  entered. 
Instead  a  voice,  dignified  and  decorous  in  spite  of  its  un- 
dertone of  anxiety,  asked ;  "  Is  there  anything  wrong,  sir  ?  " 

"Oh,  that's  you  is  it,  Hereford?"  Then  changing  his 
voice  to  one  of  serious  intensity,  Phil  continued,  "  Yes, 
there  is  something  very,  very  wrong." 

Hereford  is  entitled  to  a  very  formal  introduction,  for,  of 
a  truth,  he  was  a  very  formal  character.  Hereford  had 
been  trained  in  the  service  of  the  Earl  of  Harrington  and 
had  later  been  the  traveling  valet  of  Lord  Merceston. 
Why  he  had  left  England  and  why  he  had  taken  service 

16 


PHIL    DISPOSED   TO    LEAP      17 

with  Phil,  no  one  could  imagine,  unless  it  was  Hereford  him- 
self, and  nothing  short  of  a  major  operation  could  remove 
private  information  from  Hereford. 

His  work  was  so  deft,  so  seasonable,  and  so  faultless  that 
regardless  of  the  fact  that  Phil  felt  a  positive  affection  for 
him  and  played  gentle  jokes  upon  him  and  unconsciously 
confided  in  him,  he  generally  looked  upon  him  as  a  won- 
derful automaton,  priceless  and  infallible.  Phil  never 
knew  how  he  dressed  or  what  he  wore,  but  he  never  missed 
an  engagement  and  he  never  went  incorrectly  clad. 

When  Hereford  heard  Phil  say  that  something  was 
wrong,  he  shuddered.  Of  course  Phil  could  not  see  the 
shudder  and  Hereford  would  never  have  demonstrated  such 
bad  form  as  to  shudder  in  a  rude,  uncouth  manner  likely 
to  make  the  door  he  was  holding  creak  or  the  bric-a-brac 
twinkle ;  but  some  of  the  shudder  was  audible  in  his  voice 
as  he  asked  contritely,  "  What  is  it,  sir?" 

"  Hereford,"  said  Phil,  and  paused  ominously,  "  I  have 
been  wasting  the  best  years  of  my  life,  and  now  I  am  going 
to  work." 

If  Phil  had  announced  war  with  a  first  class  power  and 
himself  as  a  recruit  in  the  militia,  Hereford  would  have  im- 
mediately selected  the  best  military  tailor  in  the  country 
and  would  have  suggested  that  the  making  of  the  uniforms 
be  left  to  him.  If  Phil  had  confessed  a  terrible  murder, 
Hereford  would  have  told  him  when  the  next  fruit  boat 
left  for  South  America  and  the  proper  way  to  board  it 
without  attracting  attention ;  but  when  Phil  made  the  above 
startling  declaration,  Hereford  was  stunned.  He  had  no 
reply,  he  had  no  suggestions.  He  merely  gasped  and  closed 
the  door. 

Phil   chuckled   softly  to  himself   as   he   turned   off  the 


i8          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

shower  and  proceeded  to  give  his  clear  skin  a  friction  polish.. 
He  was  still  smiling  when  he  emerged  from  the  bathroom 
drawing  the  cord  of  his  bathrobe  about  him.  Phil  was 
orderly  in  many  things:  for  instance,  he  almost  invariably 
ate  his  breakfast  in  a  bathrobe  and  his  dinner  in  evening 
clothes,  just  as  he  voted  the  Republican  ticket  and  occa- 
sionally attended  the  Episcopal  church.  They  seemed  the 
proper  things  to  do,  and  so  he  did  them.  When  things 
satisfied  his  sense  of  fitness,  without  making  unreasonable 
demands  upon  him,  he  was  equally  courteous  and  did  not 
probe  about  in  their  past  or  make  them  furnish  up  to  date 
credentials. 

Hereford  was  standing  in  front  of  the  open  window,  his 
hands  clasped  across  his  breast,  an  expression  of  brood- 
ing sorrow  upon  his  face.  When  he  saw  Phil's  cheery 
smile,  a  timid  smile  came  to  his  own  face,  although  it  was 
forced  to  hide  itself  behind  the  gloom  of  a  real  hurt. 
"  You  were  pleased  to  jest,  sir?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  was  indeed  pleased  to  find  that  I  could  still  jest  after 
having  lain  awake  all  night  thinking  about  my  wasted  past, 
Hereford ;  but  if  you  mean  that  my  intention  to  embrace  a 
business  career  was  merely  a  pleasantry,  you  err.  That  is 
the  simple  truth,  Hereford,  you  err." 

"  Then  you  are  going  to  work,  sir  ?  " 

"  Don't  speak  of  it  in  that  doleful  voice,  man.  Work  is 
an  honorable  calling.  Nice  world  this  would  be  if  no- 
body worked ! " 

Hereford  shook  his  head;  not  with  the  intention  of  im- 
pertinently denying  the  statement,  but  in  a  vague  attempt 
to  express  his  hopeless  doubt  as  to  the  nature  of  the  calam- 
ity which  had  come  upon  them.  If  it  were  merely  a  ques- 
tion of  money,  why  he  could  have  fixed  that ;  but  he  knew 


PHIL    DISPOSED   TO   LEAP      19 

that  Phil  was  an  unusually  long  distance  behind  his  income. 
His  health  was  perfect,  insanity  was  out  of  the  question  — 
Hereford  gave  it  up. 

"  Will  you  wish  breakfast,  sir  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  diffident 
voice.  Always  before,  the  first  drop  of  Phil's  coffee  had 
been  poured  into  his  cup  at  the  exact  instant  that  his  fingers 
touched  the  doorknob. 

"  I  knew  there  was  something  lacking !  "  exclaimed  Phil. 
"  Don't  be  silly ;  there  is  no  possible  theory  which  would 
presume  that  a  man  would  stop  eating  simply  because  he 
was  going  to  start  working.  Or  did  you  think  that  I  would 
begin  at  once  to  eat  from  a  tin  pail  ?  " 

Hereford  merely  bowed  and  hastened  to  the  kitchenette, 
while  Phil  lighted  a  cigarette  and  strolled  through  his 
suite,  the  genuine  melancholy  in  his  eyes  at  last  having 
gained  possession  of  his  facial  expression. 

The  building  in  which  his  apartment  was  situated  stood 
on  the  west  side  of  the  avenue  and  the  morning  sun  was 
warm  and  cheerful  as  he  peered  out  through  the  curtains 
—  and  sighed.  The  morning  parade,  differing  completely 
from  that  of  the  afternoon,  yet  equally  typical,  was  in  full 
swing.  "  They  do  not  work,"  he  muttered.  "  Yet  some- 
body must,  or  they  couldn't  do  it." 

He  turned  and  gazed  about  the  room:  the  furnishings 
were  rich,  yet  cosy,  tasteful,  and  comfortable.  Nearly 
every  item  was  a  gift  with  some  odd  little  memory  attached ; 
signed  etchings  and  sketches  adorned  the  walls  in  a  pro- 
fusion which  was  truly  Bohemian  and  truly  harmonious. 
One  of  them  was  the  head  of  a  bulldog,  his  lower  teeth 
warning  the  entire  world  to  tread  softly,  his  brown,  wide 
open  eyes  denoting  the  loving  heart  and  the  convivial  spirit. 
It  was  the  work  of  a  boy  whom  Phil  had  found  in  the 


20          THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

park  ten  years  before  and  who  was  now  exhibiting  in  the 
Paris  Salon. 

Phil  looked  into  the  eyes  of  the  picture  while  a  mist  came 
across  his  own.  "  Poor  old  Truffles,"  he  murmured  as  he 
pointed  his  finger  tragically  toward  the  skin  of  a  black 
panther  which  lay  upon  a  bench  of  curious  design  and 
quaint  foreign  carving,  "  he  used  to  sleep  every  night  on 
that  skin;  and  Saunders  was  killed  less  than  a  week  after 
he  sent  me  that  pelt.  And  now  little  lola  is  painting  por- 
traits of  human  aristocrats." 

Phil  sat  on  a  chair  made  of  horn  and  rawhide  and 
dropped  his  chin  into  his  hands.  "  Supposing  I  win  ?  "  he 
asked  the  assembly ;  for  so  personal  were  his  surroundings 
that  he  habitually  visited  with  the  spirits  of  those  who  had 
made  them  so.  "  Supposing  I  do  win,  what  then  ?  What 
if  I  should  break  through  and  rip  things  up  the  middle  and 
get  into  the  papers  as  the  new  Napoleon  of  finance,  what 
would  it  bring  me  ?  There 's  a  new  Napoleon  every  week 
and  I  never  saw  one  I  envied.  Of  course  I  '11  go  through 
with  it  for  Edith's  sake ;  but  no  matter  how  it  turns  out,  I 
don't  see  where  I  stand  to  win." 

He  sank  into  a  reverie  which  was  broken  by  Hereford's 
solemn  announcement  that  breakfast  was  served. 

Phil  ate  a  trifle  less  than  usual.  The  chance  observer 
would  have  been  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  condition  of 
Phil's  appetite,  but  to  a  scientist  like  Hereford,  it  was  hor- 
ribly apparent  that  wires  were  crossed,  the  fat  was  in  the 
fire,  and  every  day  in  the  week  was  to  be  Monday. 

As  soon  as  he  finished  his  breakfast,  Phil  telephoned  to 
his  garage.  "Wilson,"  he  said,  distinctly,  as  one  speaks 
when  he  does  not  desire  to  repeat  or  to  invite  discussion,  "  I 
want  you  to  sell  both  cars.  I  am  going  to  work  and  I  shall 


PHIL    DISPOSED    TO    LEAP      21 

have  no  further  use  for  them.  When  you  have  sold  them, 
call  me  up  and  I  shall  make  a  settlement  with  you." 

Phil  smiled  more  freely  after  this  message.  It  had  a 
crisp,  business  twang,  and  he  felt  that  he  must  possess  con- 
siderable'executive  ability  or  he  could  not  so  promptly  have 
put  into  operation  a  matter  of  such  moment.  It  had  taken 
a  trip  to  Europe  and  much  testing  before  he  had  decided 
upon  the  purchase  of  the  cars. 

"  The  morning  papers,  Hereford,"  he  said  briskly. 

"  The  Sun  is  on  your  table  with  the  mail,  sir,  as  usual," 
reminded  Hereford  nervously. 

"  From  now  on,  I  want  them  all,"  said  Phil.  "  The  en- 
tire edition  of  the  Sun  and  the  industrial  pages  of  the 
others." 

Phil  very  rarely  shaved  himself  and  there  was  a  little 
patch  at  the  curve  of  each  jaw  which  seemed  to  rasp  against 
the  soul  of  his  man.  Hereford  longed  to  ask  permission 
to  go  over  the  face  himself,  but  did  not  dare. 

"  What  will  you  wear  to-day,  sir  ?  "  he  asked. 

"What  will  I  wear?"  exclaimed  Phil.  "Why,  what  do 
I  generally  wear  ?  " 

There  was  a  streak  in  Phil  Lytton  which  yielded  very 
readily  to  the  occult  and  Hereford  was  clever  beyond 
natural  deftness.  Phil  had  often  been  pleased  to  find  that 
he  had  accidentally  worn  a  tie  or  a  pin  or  carried  a  hand- 
kerchief which  had  formerly  been  praised  or  presented  or 
marked  by  the  young  lady  upon  whom  he  was  making  a 
call.  He  gave  fate  the  credit  and,  in  a  measure,  he  was 
right.  Hereford  was  the  best  fate  which  could  have  be- 
fallen him. 

Phil's  method  of  taking  life  for  granted  and  being  pleas- 
antly thrilled  by  little  mysteries  which  seemed  to  favor  him, 


22          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

lifted  him  far  above  the  worries  and  cares  which  hamper 
the  flights  of  so  many.  He  was  not  aware  that  he  con- 
sulted with  Hereford,  and  still  less  aware  that  in  very  many 
matters  it  was  Hereford  himself  who  was  the  real  director ; 
so  this  morning  Phil  was  shocked  at  the  responsibility  of 
choosing  his  own  apparel. 

"  You  expected  to  ride  in  the  park  this  morning ;  and  had 
not  quite  made  up  your  mind  whether  you  would  motor  or 
play  polo  this  afternoon.  You  said  that  so  many  of  the 
young  gentlemen  were  out  of  town  that — " 

"  Yes,  of  course,  but  I  certainly  have  plenty  of  business 
suits,  have  n't  I,  Hereford  ?  " 

"  What  kind  of  business  are  you  going  to  engage  in, 
sir?" 

"  I  am  gradually  going  to  take  charge  of  my  own  fortune 
and  tend  to  its  reinvesting  in  enterprises  which  pay  a  larger 
dividend  than  it  is  at  present  producing,"  replied  Phil  with 
reserve.  Hereford's  face  lightened. 

"  Will  you  have  a  down  town  office,  sir ;  or  will  you 
transact  your  business  here  ?  " 

Phil  took  a  turn  about  the  room,  his  arms  folded  across 
the  breast  of  his  bathrobe.  "  For  the  present,  I  shall  not 
open  a  down  town  office.  A  down  town  office  always  makes 
me  nervous,  and  unless  I  decide  to  enter  the  directorate  of 
some  company,  I  can  just  as  well  transact  business  right 
here." 

"  I  think  that  you  have  plenty  of  business  suits,  sir,"  re- 
plied Hereford,  without  permitting  his  gaze  to  rest  even 
covertly  upon  the  bathrobe. 

Phil  walked  into  his  library  and  picked  the  Sun  from 
beneath  a  large  assortment  of  rather  more  delectable  mail. 
He  read  everything  of  an  industrial  nature  with  his  brows 


PHIL    DISPOSED    TO   LEAP     23 

drawn  together  into  a  frown,  and  then  crumpled  up  the 
paper  and  hurled  it  into  a  corner.  "  It 's  drudgery,  that 's 
what  business  is ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  Labor  disputes  are 
everlastingly  being  finally  settled  to  everybody's  satisfaction, 
and  everlastingly  breaking  out  again  a  few  weeks  later; 
coal  miners  don't  do  anything  from  one  year's  end  to  an- 
other except  strike,  and  I  can't  see  how  they  live  or  where 
the  coal  comes  from;  money  is  always  getting  tighter  or 
looser,  but  I  have  handled  quite  a  little  of  it  without  being 
able  to  tell  for  the  life  of  me  whether  it  was  loose  or  tight. 
Something  falls  off  a  point  and  everyone  has  a  panic.  It 's 
stupid !  I  '11  have  to  get  Hereford  to  help  me.  I  '11  have 
to  fix  it  so  he  can  take  the  paper  after  I  have  read  it  and 
see  how  much  of  this  junk  I  can  remember.  Oh,  rot,  I  've 
half  a  mind  to  give  it  up  even  now ! " 

The  rest  of  his  mail  had  a  more  soothing  effect.  Very 
largely  it  was  from  ladies  who  had  found  certain  draw- 
backs to  the  business  of  conducting  a  smooth  and  successful 
summer  campaign.  The  men  who  came  down  for  the 
week  end  either  huddled  together  talking  business  or  playing 
poker,  or  else  they  flirted  with  the  wrong  ladies,  and  Phil 
was  always  reliable  and  altogether  a  dear  and  a  comfort. 
This  sounded  more  like  a  human  appeal  to  Phil,  than  the 
senseless  jargon  of  a  market  report.  He  wondered  vaguely 
what  else  a  market  did  besides  making  its  stupid  report. 

He  laid  three  of  the  letters  aside  to  answer  himself  and 
left  the  others  to  Hereford  who  wrote  exactly  the  same 
hand  as  he  did  and  composed  in  exactly  the  same  style.  It 
was  a  source  of  keen  regret  to  Phil  that  Hereford  was  not 
also  able  to  attend  some  of  the  more  formal  functions  as  his 
substitute,  but  it  was  impossible.  They  were  the  same  size, 
but  there  it  ended.  Age  was  a  thing  apart  from  the  man 


24         THE   KNIGHT-ERKANT 

and  no  one  could  tell  whether  he  was  thirty  or  fifty;  but 
he  was  always  the  man  and  it  would  have  been  as  hard  for 
Phil  to  disguise  himself  as  a  valet  as  for  Hereford  to  pose 
as  a  gentleman  of  leisure,  if  a  man  as  busy  as  Phil,  can  be 
so  characterized. 

"  There  they  are,"  mused  Phil,  "  romping  about  in  the 
mountains  and  at  the  seashore;  and  here  am  I,  up  to  my 
knees  in  the  sweetest  kind  of  a  pasture  and  braying  my 
fool  head  off  for  someone  to  come  and  put  the  harness  on 
me.  I  can  see  why  a  man  would  work  to  get  what  I  have ; 
but  I  honestly  can't  see  why  he  should  keep  it  up  after- 
ward. I  am  going  to  see  the  Colonel  about  this.  He  's  a 
hard  old  nut  and  I  'd  risk  a  bet  that  he  '11  see  it  in  the  true 
light.  If  Edith  were  to  announce  that  she  intended  to 
open  a  millinery  store,  we  'd  put  an  ice  bag  on  her  head  and 
ship  her  off  to  a  rest-cure  without  consulting  her  much 
about-  it ;  and  it  is  exactly  the  same  case  with  me.  Here- 
ford," he  called,  "  get  out  my  things,  will  you.  I'm  going 
down  to  see  Colonel  Edgerton." 

Phil  picked  up  a  copy  of  Omar  and  looked  at  the  soft 
leather  cover.  "  Now,  here  was  a  sport  and  a  philosopher," 
he  said  with  an  eloquent  gesture.  "  Can  you  see  anyone 
scooping  him  into  a  business  net?  No,  I  should  say  not. 
Supposing  instead  of  slipping  a  book  of  verses,  a  loaf  of 
bread,  and  a  jug  of  wine  into  her  suit  case  and  accepting 
his  invitation  on  the  spot,  she  had  drawn  herself  up 
haughtily  and  said,  '  No,  you  have  wasted  the  best  years 
of  your  life  already.  I  insist  that  you  engage  in  commerce 
and  industry.'  What  would  Omar  have  done,  huh? 
That 's  the  question,  what  would  Omar  have  done  ?  Omar 
would  have  pulled  verse  number  twelve  on  her  and  she 
would  have  blown  up  all  the  business  colleges  in  the 


PHIL    DISPOSED    TO    LEAP      25 

country  and  would  have  followed  him  to  the  North  Pole 
in  a  bathing  suit.  She  does  n't  love  me ;  Edith  does  n't  love 
me,  and  that  is  the  real  answer." 

A  downcast  look  came  to  the  boyish  face ;  but  before  the 
gloom  had  been  permitted  to  penetrate  very  deeply,  Here- 
ford announced  Wilson,  and  Phil  admitted  hint. 

The  chauffeur  was  a  young  fellow  with  a  keen,  reliant 
face  thoroughly  tanned,  and  just  at  this  moment  filled 
with  gloomy  foreboding.  He  carried  his  cap  crumpled  in 
his  hand  and  his  eyes  shot  forth  reproachful  glances  akin  to 
those  with  which  a  dog  wounds  the  master  who  has  just 
sent  him  home,  after  they  have  arrived  at  the  game  country. 

"  You  don't  really  mean  it,  do  you  ?  "  he  asked.  It  was 
almost  man  to  man  with  them  and  their  association  had  been 
most  pleasant.  Wilson  was  a  superior  fellow  and  had  too 
much  self-respect  to  presume ;  but  driving  a  car  was  a  pas- 
sion with  him,  and  the  realities  of  life  had  crowded  aside 
their  forms. 

"  Certainly  I  mean  it,"  replied  Phil  a  trifle  coolly. 

"  But,  great  Scott,  Mr.  Lytton,  you  have  the  best  cars  in 
town  and  they  are  just  getting  thoroughly  seasoned.  It 
seems  a  shame — " 

"  I  appreciate,  Wilson,  that  you  take  a  personal  interest 
in  your  work  and  that  you  are  perfectly  sincere;  but  my 
mind  is  made  up.  I  shall  have  no  further  use  for  the  cars. 
I  am  going  into  business." 

Wilson  looked  at  his  employer  steadily.  "  Might  I  pre- 
sume to  ask  the  kind  of  business,  Mr.  Lytton?"  he  asked 
respectfully.  "  I  have  given  a  lot  of  thought  to  the  motor 
car,  and  especially  in  regard  to  its  adaptability  to  modern 
business  needs." 

"  The  kind  of  business  I  expect  to  take  up  will  not  leave 


26          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

me  much  time  for  exercise,  and  I  must  choose  the  kind 
whose  reactions  are  more  direct  than  riding  in  a  car.'' 

"  Let  your  car  be  the  annex  of  your  office.  What  ever 
form  of  business  you  go  into,  you  can  transact  a  lot  of  it 
in  a  car.  Every  kind  of  business  depends  on  selling  some- 
thing to  someone.  I  don't  suppose  you  will  be  a —  Of 
course,  you  understand  that  I  am  not  trying  to  find  out 
what  kind  of  business  you  are  going  into,  but  have  you 
really  considered  whether  a  car  won't  be  of  actual  service 
to  you,  dollars  and  cents  service  ?  " 

"  No,  Wilson,  I  admit  that  I  have  not  thought  over  the 
question  seriously ;  but  as  I  have  always  looked  upon  a  car 
as  a  mere  luxury,  I  fear  it  would  be  apt  to  interfere  with 
my  serious  affairs.  I  want  you  to  sell  the  cars  for  as  good 
a  price  as  you  can,  and  I  leave  that  entirely  to  your  judg- 
ment. I  shall  give  you  a  liberal  commission  and  a  recom- 
mendation which  I  think  will  have  some  weight.  I  really 
hate  to  give  you  up,  Wilson." 

The  chauffeur  sat  with  his  eyes  on  the  carpet,  studying. 
He  was  a  man  of  extreme  concentration  and  before  long  he 
had  embarked  upon  a  line  of  thought  which  drew  him 
rapidly  away  from  himself  and  his  employer.  Phil  waited 
several  minutes  patiently,  and  then  said  in  a  mildly  sugges- 
tive tone,  "  I  think  that  you  will  probably  find  it  more  con- 
venient to  plan  your  campaign  alone ;  and  therefore  I  leave 
it  entirely  to  yourself." 

"  I  'd  like  to  go  into  business,  myself,"  said  Wilson  ex- 
plosively. 

"  Yes,  this  is  a  funny  world,"  rejoined  Phil  enigmatic- 
ally. 

"  I  could  take  just  those  two  cars  and  make  a  fortune 
out  of  them.  I  '11  tell  you  what  I  'd  like  to  try,  Mr.  Lytton," 


PHIL    DISPOSED    TO    LEAP     27 

—  with  enthusiastic  earnestness  — "  I  'd  like  to  run  those 
cars  as  income  producers  for  just  one  week,  and  see 
what  happens.  I  '11  take  half  the  proceeds  as  wages  and 
give  you  — " 

"  No,  I  really  can't  be  mixed  up  in  that  kind  of  business," 
interjected  Phil,  but  not  with  convincing  finality. 

"  You  won't  be  mixed  up  in  it,  your  name  won't  be  used 
in  any  way  and  I  '11  take  the  entire  management  and  pay 
all  the  expenses  out  of  my  half.  Are  you  aware  that  al- 
ready over  three  hundred  and  eighty-eight  million  dollars  of 
capital  are  invested  in  the  manufacture  of  motor  cars  in 
this  country,  and  most  folks  think  it  is  some  kind  of  a  toy 
and  talk  about  riding  in  one  as  though  it  were  going  up 
in  a  balloon  ?  It  is  only  in  the  experimental  stage  now ;  but 
when  they  get  it  headed  home,  everybody  in  the  world  is 
going  to  have  some  kind  of  a  car.  Hokey  pokey  men  on 
the  East  Side  will  peddle  their  stuff  from  a  car  in  ten 
years,  messenger  boys  will  own  cars  with  phonograph  at- 
tachments, to  read  to  them  as  they  ride,  you  know,  the 
bicycle  crowd  will  rush  to  them  in  a  body,  the  clerks  — 
Why  in  a  dozen  years  people  will  take  a  ride  on  the  trolley 
cars  on  Sunday,  just  for  the  novelty.  You  have  the  best 
cars  in  this  town,  but  I  have  figured  out  fifteen  ways  in 
which  they  can  be  improved  and  I  'm  going  to  have  a  couple 
of  patents  as  soon  as  I  can  save  a  trifle  more." 

Wilson  paused  and  looked  into  his  employer's  face.  Phil 
was  looking  at  the  chauffeur  in  ill-disguised  envy.  Here 
was  a  man  who  was  keen  for  business,  who  knew  what  kind 
he  preferred,  who  had  talent  and  skill  and  sound  judgment, 
even  if  he  was  carried  away  by  his  own  enthusiasm,  and 
Phil  felt  his  own  inefficiency  all  the  more  keenly  because  his 
sense  of  fair  play  had  already  warned  him  that  he  was 


28          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

going  to  give  this  man  his  chance.  Wilson  felt  some  of 
this  and  with  hope  and  doubt  struggling  for  the  mastery, 
he  asked,  "  You  —  you  would  n't  like  to  invest  some  of  your 
money  along  this  line  would  you,  Mr.  Lytton  ?  " 

"  I  must  admit,  Wilson,  that  you  seem  to  have  consid- 
ered the  situation  with  some  care." 

"  Mr.  Lytton,  this  is  a  situation  which  you  don't  have  to 
consider.  It  runs  after  you,  button-holes  you,  and  talks 
you  into  a  trance.  Everything  about  an  auto  can  be  im- 
proved, until  it  can  go  over  any  old  road  at  high  speed. 
It  is  going  to  open  new  country  to  money-making  industry 
which  is  n't  doing  anything  but  lie  out  doors  now.  The 
factories  are  not  going  to  be  able  to  keep  up  with  orders 
as  soon  as  the  people  get  wise ;  but  I  should  n't  want  to 
go  into  the  manufacture  of  cars  even  if  I  had  a  chain  of 
banks.  The  big  play,  according  to  my  guess,  is  to  lag 
around  on  the  outskirts  and  make  the  findings,  the  best 
thing  in  lamps,  the  best  sort  of  horn,  the  little  things  that 
can  be  hit  up  for  a  gorgeous  profit  without  looking  like 
a  hold-up  to  a  man  who  has  just  paid  for  a  car.  Then, 
right  here  in  town  is  a  wonderful  opening  for  cab  lines  — 
Oh,  Mr.  Lytton,  if  you  are  going  into  business,  here  is 
your  opening.  Why,  I  could  take  a  hundred  thousand 
dollars  and  make  it  pay  fifty  per  cent,  profit  from  the 
start." 

"  And  that  is  big  interest,  I  should  say,"  murmured  Phil 
thoughtfully.  "  Well,  I  '11  think  it  over,  Wilson.  You  try 
your  experiment  with  the  two  cars  for  a  week  or  so  and 
then  we  '11  have  another  talk.  Good  luck,  Wilson." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.     Good  morning." 

Phil  had  treated  Wilson  more  nearly  as  an  equal  at  this 
interview  than  ever  before.  This  was  the  very  first  time 


PHIL    DISPOSED    TO    LEAP     29 

that  Wilson  had  ever  called  him  sir.  Neither  of  them  were 
aware  of  this. 

"  I  am  in  something  of  a  hurry,  Hereford,"  said  Phil 
hastening  to  his  room  and  flinging  off  the  bathrobe. 
"  We  '11  have  to  have  breakfast  earlier  after  this." 

"  Would  you  mind,  sir,  if  I  just  ran  over  your  face  a  bit 
with  the  razor,  dry  ?  There  's  a  stub  or  two  here  and  there 
which  you  missed,  and  I  've  always  taken  pride  in  your 
face,  sir.  I  would  n't  want  any  one  to  notice  that  it  was  n't 
quite  smooth,  sir." 

"  Hereford,  I  '11  probably  be  so  rushed  pretty  soon,  that 
I  won't  shave  more  than  twice  a  week  —  but  this  morning 
I  guess  you  may  plane  it  down  to  your  own  satisfaction. 
It  is  nearly  one  now,  any  way,  and  there  is  no  knowing 
where  the  Colonel  is." 

"  I  suppose,  sir,"  said  Hereford  as  he  deftly  ran  over 
Phil's  face  with  the  razor,  "  that  there  comes  a  time  in 
every  man's  life  when  he  wants  to  go  into  business  for 
himself." 

"  He  's  driven  into  it,  Hereford,"  said  Phil  confidentially. 
"  Either  his  vanity  or  his  necessity  drive  him  into  it." 
Phil  did  not  have  the  faintest  idea  that  Hereford  would 
presume  to  include  himself  in  a  general  discussion  of  men. 
Hereford  had  never  before  done  such  a  thing. 

"  That  is  true,  sir.  I  should  never  have  thought  of  it 
if  you  had  not  declared  your  own  intention  this  morning. 
I  supposed  we  were  settled  just  as  we  were,  for  life,  sir." 
Hereford  was  abnormally  solemn. 

"  But  it  won't  make  any  difference  in  my  domestic  ar- 
rangements ! "  cried  Phil  in  alarm.  "  I  '11  have  to  eat  and 
sleep  and  bathe  just  the  same.  What  are  you  talking  about, 
Hereford?" 


30         THE    KNIGHT -ERRANT 

"  It  has  made  a  difference  already,  sir.  I  have  always 
been  used  to  living  with  gentlemen  of  leisure,  with  one  ex- 
ception. When  I  first  went  into  service,  I  took  on  with 
a  business  man.  He  was  an  English  business  man,  but  it 
was  not  pleasant  to  serve  him.  I  could  never  stand  it  to  do 
for  an  American  business  man." 

"  You  've  lost  your  reason,  Hereford,"  said  Phil  in  dis- 
gust. "  I  'd  like  to  know  what  difference  it  would  make  in 
me." 

"  You  '11  get  nervous,  sir,  and  fidgety  and  cross.  You 
won't  appreciate  things  and  you  will  treat  others  not  as 
they  deserve  but  as  your  business  happens  to  be  going. 
You  will  become  a  part  of  the  business  and  everyone  who 
waits  on  you  or  is  related  to  you  in  a  domestic  way,  must 
turn  and  twist  with  the  business.  I  could  not  bring  myself 
to  take  service  with  anyone  else  in  this  country  and  I  don't 
want  to  go  back  to  England  —  so  I  think  I  '11  go  into  busi- 
ness also." 

Phil  threw  himself  back  in  his  chair  with  a  nasal 
"  humph  "  and  stared  at  his  man  almost  in  consternation. 
Hereford  held  the  razor  aloft  and  looked  into  the  eyes  of 
his  master  with  his  own  face  going  pale  at  the  effect  of  his 
manifesto.  Had  a  stranger  entered  the  room  at  this  period, 
he  would  forever  after  have  been  convinced  that  he  had 
prevented  murder.^ 

"  Well,  good  Lord,  man,"  exclaimed  Phil  as  soon  as  he 
caught  his  breath,  "  is  the  blame  thing  contagious  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  I  think  not,"  replied  Hereford  in  all  serious- 
ness, "  but  I  must  admit  that  it  never  occurred  to  me  until 
you  announced  your  own  intention,  sir.  Then  I  thought 
that  it  would  be  well  for  me  to  consider  my  own  future. 
You  see  a  dependent  upon  a  business  man  is  also  dependent 


PHIL    DISPOSED    TO    LEAP      31 

upon  all  the  dangers  to  the  business,  in  addition  to  the  per- 
sonal whims  of  his  employer.  It  takes  all  the  comfort  out 
of  life,  sir.  You  might  fail  in  business  just  at  the  time  that 
I  received  an  accident  which  would  prevent  my  finding  a 
suitable  position ;  and  that  would  be  most  inconvenient." 

Phil  was  in  a  daze:  to  think  of  Hereford  considering 
Hereford's  convenience  was  to  see  the  solid  earth  crumbling 
before  his  eyes.  "  What  kind  of  business  would  you  en- 
gage in,  Hereford  ?  "  he  asked  meekly. 

Hereford  almost  started  to  seat  himself,  but  recovered  in 
time.  "  I  have  been  thinking  very  steadily  this  morning, 
sir.  Many  gentlemen  cannot  afford  to  keep  a  man  con- 
stantly, and  yet  when  they  wish  to  present  a  proper  appear- 
ance they  could  pay  liberally  for  one  for  a  short  period. 
I  am  considering  the  training  of  a  corps  of  young  men  to 
let  out  by  the  day,  week,  or  month.  By  a  careful  system 
of  books,  I  should  not  need  to  send  the  same  man  with  a 
different  gentleman  to  the  same  house,  and  I  should  keep 
the  matter  quite  exclusive  in  order  to  avoid  the  slightest 
embarrassment.  Then  there  is  an  opening  for  professional 
packers.  I  should  train  them  to  pack  clothing  so  that  it 
would  cross  the  water  without  needing  pressing,  and  this 
department,  I  should  advertise.  Through  this  opening  I 
should  find  the  gentlemen  who  require  temporary  valets, 
and  I  think  it  would  be  highly  remunerative." 

"How  much  money  have  you  saved,  Hereford?" 

"  Twenty  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars, 
sir,"  replied  the  man  with  quiet  pride. 

Phil  sighed :  here  was  a  man  who  had  labored  all  his  life, 
doing  the  very  best  sort  of  work  possible  to  his  subordinate 
position,  and  yet  he  was  proud  of  having  saved  a  miserable 
pittance!  Still  the  main  cause  of  the  sigh  was  envy.  In 


32          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

spite  of  the  fact  that  Hereford  attempted  to  be  ultra  humble, 
it  was  apparent  that  he  was  inflated  with  confidence  and  he 
had  picked  out  his  particular  business  as  readily  as  Wilson 
had  picked  his,  and  both  of  these  enterprises  possessed  ele- 
ments of  originality  which  would  demand  a  high  order  of 
executive  ability  to  make  them  successful;  while  he,  with 
so  much  greater  opportunities,  felt  like  a  lost  child. 

"  I  think  I  shall  have  something  more  to  say  on  this  sub- 
ject, Hereford;  but  now  hurry  me  into  my  clothes  as  I  have 
an  important  appointment." 


CHAPTER  THREE 

THE   COLONEL  'ADVISES  CARE 

PUT  not  your  trust  in  facial  expressions.  Ninety  per  cent, 
of  the  people  who  for  the  first  time  saw  Colonel  Edgerton 
striding  up  Rector  Street  to  his  office,  would  have  said, 
there  goes  a  stern  man.  The  Colonel  carried  his  head  well 
up  in  the  air  and  a  little  to  the  right;  he  was  tall,  with 
good  shoulders  and  altogether  a  military  figure.  He  had  a 
fine  head  of  white  hair,  bushy  white  eyebrows,  and  white 
moustaches  and  imperial.  Sometimes  he  slipped  his  right 
hand  across  his  breast  and  into  the  bosom  of  his  coat  which 
he  invariably  wore  buttoned.  Always  he  wore  a  preoccu- 
pied look  as  though  tortured  by  the  responsibilities  of  some 
impending  judgment.  Yes,  fully  ninety  per  cent,  even  of 
those  accustomed  to  seeing  the  Colonel  would  not  have 
hesitated  in  pronouncing  him  a  stern  man ;  and  yet  in  reality 
he  was  Edith  Hampton's  guardian  and  she  was  beyond  ques- 
tion the  commandant  of  their  small  post. 

Edith  felt  no  necessity  of  striding,  scowling,  or  assum- 
ing Napoleonic  poses;  she  placed  no  reliance  upon  over- 
awing the  enemy;  when  it  came  to  the  actual  conflict  she 
would  close  in  and  crush  him ;  but  in  the  meantime  she 
would  be  as  sunny  and  tranquil  and  smiling  as  the  grassy 
bank  which  hides  a  disappearing  gun.  The  Colonel  much 
preferred  an  enemy  willing  to  capitulate  without  a  single 
blow.  He  never  tried  to  overawe  Edith;  in  fact  he  had  a 

33 


34          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

habit,  as  unconscious  as  it  was  comical,  of  lifting  his  eyes 
to  hers  from  time  to  time  while  a  tiny  shade  of  apprehen- 
sion came  upon  his  firm,  soldierly  face.  He  had  been  a 
vigorous  fighter  in  the  Civil  War,  a  man  of  action,  quick, 
powerful,  certain ;  but  he  had  assumed  the  guardianship  of 
Edith  shortly  after  her  fourth  birthday,  and  since  then  he 
had  felt  like  a  corporal  commanding  a  regiment  of  cap- 
tains. 

He  was  a  conservative  man,  was  the  Colonel,  accepting 
the  conventions  without  question  and  living  up  to  his  code, 
free  from  the  slightest  temptation  to  question  its  rectitude. 
He  had  a  choice  and  exclusive  coterie  of  friends  in  whose 
company  genuine  good  fellowship  flowed  pleasantly  between 
high  banks  of  rather  pompous  etiquette.  A  title  was  never 
dropped  or  slurred  in  this  environment,  and  every  topic  of 
conversation  was  regarded  as  a  distinguished  guest,  worthy 
of  being  received  with  the  main  guard  at  attention  and  the 
colors  uncased.  The  Colonel  looked  upon  slang  as  the  first 
step  to  atheism  and  he  engaged  in  many  earnest  meditations 
upon  the  flippancy  of  modern  youth.  He  was  in  no  sense 
a  philosopher :  things  reached  his  heart  by  a  direct  road  and 
his  intellect  was  frequently  at  work  seeking  defences  for 
opinions  which  his  heart  had  accepted  without  question. 

He  was  a  man  of  warm  affections,  tender  sympathies,  and 
fierce  denunciations,  a  man  to  rely  upon  to  the  farthest 
limit,  when  once  his  limitations  were  understood.  Edith 
fully  understood  them  and  their  mutual  love  was  steady  and 
strong  despite  his  awe  of  her  and  her  failure  to  feel  awe 
of  him. 

This  was  the  man  whom  Phil  Lytton  was  hastening  to 
meet  —  Phil  Lytton,  riding  on  an  elevated  train  and  filled 
with  an  aggrieved  wonder  as  to  what  further  sacrifices  busi- 


35 

ness  would  demand  of  him.  The  Colonel  was  fond  of 
Phil  without  being  in  the  least  able  to  understand  him.  He 
loaded  himself  to  the  very  guards  with  duties,  while  Phil 
politely  stepped  to  one  side  in  order  to  give  each  duty  an  un- 
trammelled passage  around  him.  Possibly  the  closest  bond 
between  them  was  their  mutual  awe  of  Edith. 

Phil  entered  the  Colonel's  office  and  found  the  solitary 
clerk,  a  dapper  little  man  of  advanced  age,  mechanical 
precision,  and  military  deportment.  He  and  the  Colonel 
invariably  saluted  when  they  first  met  shortly  after  nine 
in  the  morning,  and  he  always  stood  at  attention  to  receive 
instructions  which  were  usually  general,  not  special,  orders. 

"  Is  Colonel  Edgerton  at  leisure,  Mr.  Blake  ? "  asked 
Phil.  No  one  ever  dropped  the  title  in  addressing  Mr. 
Blake. 

"  He  just  stepped  out,  Mr.  Lytton ;  but  I  think  he  will 
return  shortly." 

"  I  shall  step  into  his  office  and  wait  for  him." 

"  Certainly.     Will  you  look  at  the  morning  paper  ?  " 

"  Morning  paper  at  this  time  of  day ! "  exclaimed  Phil 
in  a  shocked  voice  as  he  passed  into  the  small  inner  office 
and  seated  himself  at  the  desk  which  resembled  a  model 
battle  field  with  its  accessories  arranged  for  maneuvers. 

"  The  Colonel 's  a  good  old  sport,"  murmured  Phil. 
"  Business  has  n't  hurt  him." 

He  found  the  cigars  and  helped  himself  with  a  sigh  of 
resignation.  The  smoke  was  of  exactly  the  orthodox  blue, 
and  he  found  it  very  soothing.  His  feet  unconsciously 
mounted  to  the  top  of  the  desk,  his  hands  clasped  behind 
his  head,  and  he  was  soon  busily  engaged  in  day-dreaming 
under  the  delusion  that  he  was  doing  some  very  hard  and 
consistent  thinking. 


36          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  Good  morning,  good  morning,  Phil,"  cried  the  Colonel 
heartily. 

"  Good  morning,  Colonel,"  responded  Phil  without  en- 
thusiasm. 

"  With  any  one  else  I  should  have  said,  good  afternoon ; 
but  I  suppose  it  is  still  morning  with  you." 

"  Not  to-day,  Colonel,  nor  any  other  day,"  said  Phil  dole- 
fully. 

The  Colonel's  expression  changed  immediately  to  one  of 
the  deepest  sympathy.  He  placed  his  hand  on  Phil's  shoul- 
der. "  What  is  it,  my  boy  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  kindly  tone. 
"  No  matter  what  it  is,  you  can  count  on  me ;  and  re- 
member, a  trouble  shared  is  a  trouble  halved." 

"  I  am  going  to  work,"  answered  Phil  solemnly. 

"  Work !  "  ejaculated  the  Colonel,  and  then  he  seated  him- 
self and  wiped  his  brow  with  a  very  large  handkerchief. 

"  Phil,  have  you  been  speculating?" 

"Not  yet." 

"  Then  why  are  you  going  to  work  ?  I  '11  confess  that 
you  have  irritated  me  at  times,  because  I  have  envied  the 
opportunities  you  have  ignored;  but  still  it  startles  me  to 
think  of  your  actually  engaging  in  business.  What  kind 
of  work  are  you  going  to  do,  any  way  ?  " 

"  That  is  what  I  want  to  consult  with  you  about." 

"  Hu-hum,"  said  the  Colonel  with  closed  lips,  after 
which  he  stroked  his  imperial  with  his  fingers  and 
sat  in  meditation.  "  Phil,"  he  said  at  last,  "  perhaps  you 
have  noticed  that  whenever  I  can  escape  Edith  I  never  go 
to  church  any  more  ?  " —  Phil  nodded  — "  Well,  I  began  to 
notice  that  the  preachers  were  as  badly  puzzled  as  the 
balance  of  us  when  it  came  to  giving  specific  directions. 
When  a  man  gives  me  directions,  I  want  him  to  say,  you  go 


COLONEL   ADVISES    CARE      37 

to  exactly  such  and  such  a  corner  and  then  turn  to  your 
left  and  go  exactly  so  much  farther.  The  world  is  full  of 
advisers,  but  they  don't  give  you  the  details,  they  merely 
suggest  a  lot  of  inanities  which  you  know  already,  and 
what  you  are  after,  is  a  list  of  the  small  details  which  will 
apply  to  your  own  individual  case." 

"  That 's  it,  that 's  where  the  trouble  comes  in,"  said 
Phil  who  was  feeling  much  comforted. 

"  Now  if  I  were  you,  Phil,  with  your  temperament  and 
your  income,  I  should  not  go  into  business  at  all."  A 
great  joy  came  to  Phil's  face,  and  the  Colonel  continued, 
"  If  you  had  ten  times  as  large  an  income  you  could  not 
get  any  more  fun  out  of  life,  and  you  would  probably  not 
get  half  so  much.  You  don't  enjoy  making  money,  you 
enjoy  spending  it.  You  have  plenty  to  spend,  therefore 
why  should  you  risk  what  is  amply  sufficient,  in  order  to 
make  a  lot  more  which  you  do  not  want  ?  " 

"  That  is  what  I  have  been  telling  Edith,  but  — " 

"  Oh-ho ! "  exclaimed  the  Colonel  with  an  instantane- 
ous change  of  expression.  "  So  Edith  is  back  of  this,  eh? 
Well  that  alters  the  case  entirely.  I  suppose  you  are 
thoroughly  determined  to  go  into  business  ?  " 

Phil  shut  his  lips  and  nodded  without  speaking.  The 
Colonel  also  nodded  in  silence  and  for  a  minute  both  men 
were  buried  in  thought. 

"  What  you  should  do,"  said  the  Colonel,  "  is  to  start  in 
as  an  office  boy  or  something  like  that.  Learn  the  busi- 
ness, live  on  your  wages,  let  your  own  income  accumulate 
until  you  have  learned  the  business  and  then  invest  the 
accumulations  without  disturbing  your  own  principal. 
There  is  a  sensible  plan  for  you  and  it  goes  into  details, 
too." 


38          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  I  certainly  should  have  a  fine  time  of  it  living  on  the 
wages  of  an  office  boy,"  said  Phil  resentfully.  "  I  don't 
know  what  an  office  boy  receives,  but  I  '11  wager  I  pay 
Hereford  four  times  as  much  and  he  has  only  saved  twenty 
thousand  dollars  in  his  entire  life." 

"  Now,  you  must  understand,  Phil,  that  Hereford  and 
the  automobiles  and  the  polo  ponies,  and  your  suite  will 
have  to  be  discarded  if  you  do  go  into  business.  Business 
is  a  jealous  damsel  and  you  can't  give  her  just  your  spare 
time.  You  have  to  make  a  business  of  wooing  her,  and  you 
have  to  discipline  yourself  most  rigidly.  What  on  earth 
possessed  Edith  to  put  this  idea  into  your  head  ?  " 

"  Edith  is  a  very  superior  woman,"  said  Phil. 

"  I  am  aware  of  that,"  rejoined  the  Colonel,  dryly.  "  I 
have  served  under  her  for  twenty  years  now.  Still,  I  have 
occasionally  been  suspicious  that  it  was  merely  her  man- 
ner and  not  her  judgment  which  was  superior.  In  this  par- 
ticular case  for  instance,  I  very  much  doubt  if  she  is  right. 
In  fact,  I  apprehend  that  she  has  made  a  grave  mistake. 
Do  you  play  poker  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Phil  in  surprise. 

"  When  you  win,  how  much  do  you  win  ?  " 

"  All  the  other  fellows  have." 

"  When  you  lose,  how  much  do  you  lose  ? " 

"  All  I  have." 

The  Colonel  nodded  his  head.  "  I  thought  so,  I  was 
sure  of  it.  You  are  a  plunger  and  you  are  almost  certain 
to  lose  at  the  start.  You  won't  stick  to  your  income,  you'll 
risk  your  principle.  Phil,  I  '11  let  you  into  a  secret  if  you  '11 
keep  it  from  Edith." 

"  You  should  know  me  better  than  that  by  this  time, 
Colonel." 


COLONEL   ADVISES    CARE      39 

"  Yes,  but  I  also  know  Edith.  Now,  has  she  ever  said 
anything  about  me  in  connection  with  business?" 

"  She  nearly  always  cites  your  case  as  exactly  proving 
her  contention  that  an  active  business  life  is  the  perfect 
outlet  for  the  modern  man's  energies." 

"  Phil,  I  have  no  more  use  for  an  office  than  I  have 
for  a  dorsal  fin.  She  drove  me  into  business  when  she  was 
eight  years  old.  The  papas  of  the  other  girls  were  in  busi- 
ness and  she  felt  the  disgrace  of  having  a  guardian  who 
did  not  have  to  work.  Positively  that  child  so  wrought 
upon  me  that  I  have  ever  since  pretended  to  be  a  business 
man.  I  have  —  Phil,  you  '11  think  I  'm  insane ;  but  I  have 
managed  two  estates  in  the  most  conservative  way  possible 
and  yet  with  enough  shrewdness  to  greatly  increase  their 
incomes,  and  all  the  while  I  have  kept  Blake  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  following  up  my  fictitious  speculating.  All 
those  books  contain  the  record  of  it,  and  fictitiously  I  am 
at  present  worth  over  two  hundred  million  dollars." 

"  Seven  years  ago  I  was  nearly  wiped  out  —  fictitiously, 
understand  —  and  when  things  straightened  out  again,  I 
had  to  go  to  a  sanitorium  and  Edith  told  about  the  terrific 
struggle  I  had  been  having.  The  news  got  into  the  papers, 
I  was  interviewed,  or  that  is  I  had  to  refuse  half  the  report- 
ers in  New  York,  and  I  did  it  so  brusquely  that  they  were 
convinced  that  I  was  one  of  those  mysterious  side  street 
manipulators.  I  don't  know  how  much  of  it  Blake,  himself, 
understands,  but  he  has  more  diplomacy  than  a  Chinese  em- 
bassador.  Since  that  time  I  have  been  a  marked  man  and 
the  two  estates  I  managed  have  prospered  wonderfully ;  but 
actually,  Phil,  I  'm  not  a  regular  business  man.  The 
routine  work  of  the  two  estates  could  be  transacted  in  a 
half  hour  out  of  the  week ;  but  I  sit  here  and  plan  campaigns, 


40          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

mostly  in  real  estate,  and  I  follow  my  judgment  through 
until  I  close  out  at  a  big  profit  or  pull  out  to  save  my  risk. 
It  is  far  more  exciting  than  poker,  and  I  now  have  one  of 
the  finest  investment  lists  in  this  town,  and  — " 

"  Well,  why  don't  you  play  for  keeps  and  make  it  worth 
while  ?  "  demanded  Phil. 

"  There !  There  you  are !  "  exclaimed  the  Colonel  point- 
ing a  finger  at  Phil  and  sinking  back  in  his  chair,  as  one 
who  had  finally  proven  a  long  contested  point  "  You 
would  have  to  play  for  keeps ;  you  are  that  kind.  All  my 
talk  has  been  in  vain.  I  hoped  you  would  see  the  way  out, 
but  it's  not  for  you.  I  hoped,  Phil,  that  you  would  go 
into  partnership  with  me  in  my  fictitious  business;  there 
really  is  more  of  it  than  I  can  attend  to  any  more,  and  you 
could  get  a  clear  idea  of  business  without  risking — " 

"  I  'd  sooner  play  bridge  with  three  dummies,"  inter- 
jected Phil.  "  No,  I  've  put  this  aside  for  over  a  year. 
Now,  I  'm  going  to  see  what  there  is  in  it,  and  I  'm  going 
to  play  the  real  game,  and  for  keeps." 

The  Colonel  was  hurt:  he  was  a  sensitive  man  and  it 
had  tested  his  fondness  for  Phil  when  he  had  uncovered 
the  inner  workings  of  his  peculiar  business.  "  Phil,"  he 
said  sternly  as  he  sat  erect  in  his  chair,  "  I  don't  want  you 
to  think  that  I  am  any  less  of  a  man  than  you  would  be.  I 
also  want  to  play  the  game  for  keeps ;  but  when  it  comes  to  a 
case  of  my  desires  against  my  duty,  I  throw  my  desires  and 
trample  the  life  out  of  them.  I  wanted  to  go  into  business 
on  a  big  scale,  but  I  felt  tied.  It 's  a  long  story,  and  — " 

"  Oh,  unload  it ;  I  Ve  nothing  but  time,"  interrupted 
Phil. 

"  I  wish  you  children  would  not  use  slang.  I  find  my 
conversation  daily  growing  less  correct,  and  sometimes  I 


COLONEL   ADVISES    CARE      41 

am  seriously  embarrassed  by  the  things  I  —  now,  I  came 
within  an  ace  of  saying,  unload.  You  compare  every- 
thing mentally  with  something  entirely  different,  and  then 
when  you  speak  you  criss-cross  the  comparisons  and,  really, 
it  often  seems  to  add  force." 

"  You  see  we  have  so  little  to  say  and  so  much  time  to 
say  it  in,  that  if  we  did  not  invent  new  ways  of  saying  it, 
we  should  die  of  ennui,"  rejoined  Phil  candidly. 

"  I  think  I  shall  condense  the  story  and  tell  it,"  mused 
the  Colonel  aloud.  "  Don't  ask  me  for  any  particulars.  I'll 
tell  you  enough  to  show  you  how  I  have  been  tied — ." 
The  Colonel  paused. 

"  They  're  off  at  Sheepshead,"  said  Phil  encouragingly. 

"  My  father  went  to  Athens,  Indiana,  in  eighteen  thirty- 
six  and  located  there  in  business." 

"  What  do  you  know  about  that  ? "  exclaimed  Phil. 
"  I  'd  discard  my  hairs  one  at  a  time  if  it  would  give  me  a 
head  for  business  like  that.  Athens,  Indiana!" 

"  It  was  at  that  time  the  end  of  the  Wabash  and  Erie 
Canal.  Chicago  was  a  small  trading  post,  Indianapolis  a 
struggling  hamlet,  Athens  was  the  distributing  point  for  a 
vast  territory,  and  my  father  amassed  a  fortune.  My 
brother  was  a  wild  youth,  two  years  my  junior.  He  took 
no  interest  in  business  or  in  study.  I  was  at  Princeton 
when  the  war  broke  out  and,  of  course,  I  went.  Elbert, 
my  brother,  had  just  enraged  my  father  by  secretly  marrying 
the  hired  girl.  My  father  disowned  him,  drove  him  from 
the  house,  and  naturally  he  also  enlisted,  leaving  his  wife 
with  her  parents. 

"  After  the  war,  I  returned,  breveted  a  colonel.  Elbert 
returned  with  one  arm  missing  and  without  even  the 
stripes  on  his  sleeve.  I  was  received  as  the  prodigal  son 


42          THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

is  generally  supposed  to  be  received,  while  Elbert  was  given 
a  very  plain  and  rather  severe  lecture ;  but  was  permitted  to 
live  at  home  owing  to  the  fact  that  during  his  absence  his 
wife  had  died.  I  desired  a  professional  life,  but  yielding 
to  my  father's  wishes,  I  engaged  in  business  with  .him. 
He  ran  a  general  store  and  an  immense  warehouse.  Elbert 
traded  horses  and  spent  a  large  part  of  his  time  in  recount- 
ing his  adventures  during  the  war.  I  divided  with  my 
father  the  responsibility  of  teaching  my  brother  a  better 
mode  of  life,  and  shared  with  my  father  the  sincere  re- 
spect which  Elbert  freely  gave.  He  was  a  good  boy  but 
obstinate,  fun-loving,  and  wild.  Finally  Elbert  went  west 
and  that  was  the  last  I  ever  heard  of  him. 

"  My  mother,  I  forgot  to  say,  had  passed  away  previous 
to  the  war;  and  soon  after  Elbert  left,  my  father  also 
died  leaving  an  estate  of  nearly  four  hundred  thousand 
dollars  and  a  most  exasperating  will,  a  most  exasperating 
will.  Athens  had  had  its  little  day,  the  canal  was  being 
superseded  by  the  railroads,  and  the  canal  was  the  senti- 
mental streak  in  my  father's  character.  He  left  the  estate 
intact  under  my  exclusive  management,  with  the  exception 
of  the  warehouse,  which  was  to  be  turned  into  a  home 
for  superannuated  canal-boat  men,  The  E.  E.  Edgerton 
home.  One  third  of  the  income  from  the  estate  was  to 
be  mine,  one  third  Elbert's,  and  the  remainder  to  go  to  this 
idiotic  home.  Canal-boat  men  never  had  a  regular  home 
of  their  own  and  did  not  know  how  to  use  one,  and  they  so 
irritated  me  that  I  finally  procured  an  order  from  the  court 
to  convert  the  estate  into  available  funds  which  I  brought 
to  New  York  for  investment.  Under  the  ruling  of  the 
will,  the  home  was  to  receive  an  endowment  suitable  to  its 
economic  needs  upon  the  death  of  either  Elbert  or  myself 


COLONEL   ADVISES    CARE      43 

and  the  remainder  of  the  estate  to  be  equally  divided  be- 
tween the  remaining  son,  and  the  heirs  of  the  one  deceased. 
In  case  the  deceased  son  left  no  heirs,  the  entire  remainder 
was  to  go  to  the  surviving  son.  In  case  both  sons  died  be- 
fore the  estate  was  settled,  the  entire  estate  was  to  be  given 
to  this  diabolical  home  for  superannuated  canal-boat  men. 

"  Phil,  you  cannot  conceive  of  the  way  that  home  has 
pestered  me.  If  my  father  had  hated  me  without  stint,  he 
could  have  left  no  worse  revenge.  It  is  under  a  director- 
ate formed  of  the  mayor,  the  county  doctor,  and  the  oldest 
inmate  of  the  home.  The  county  doctor  and  the  mayor 
change  from  time  to  time,  and  always  for  the  worst;  while 
the  oldest  inmate  is  eternal  and  gets  more  vicious  with  ev- 
ery breath  he  draws.  All  the  tramps  in  the  world  have 
heard  of  it  and  they  settle  down  on  it  in  swarms,  the  re- 
quirements necessary  to  entrance  are  so  loose  that  any  one 
who  ever  saw  a  canal  can  get  in,  and  the  graft  is  a  thing  to, 
to,  to —  Well,  Athens,  itself,  has  put  in  most  of  its  im- 
provements by  skilfully  stretching  the  needs  of  that  fool 
home.  Water-v/orks  system,  paving,  parks,  sewerage,  ev- 
erything they  have  was  originally  financed  by  the  home 
and  while  they  were  at  it  they  just  made  the  plants  large 
enough  to  accommodate  the  town  as  well. 

"  Under  my  management  the  estate  has  increased  until 
it  yields  an  income  of  two  hundred  thousand  a  year.  My 
brother's  share  has  compounded  until  it  is  five  times  as 
large  as  it  would  have  been  originally,  and  that  confounded 
home  goes  along  eating  its  head  off  until  I  am  distracted. 
The  directorate  has  a  probationary  plan  which  is  rather 
clever  and  very  useful.  Every  new  applicant  is  now 
placed  in  the  involuntary  squad,  and  made  to  do  public 
improvements  without  pay  for  a  year.  Athens  is  the  most 


44         THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

beautiful  little  town  in  the  world,  they  tell  me.  I  've  never 
been  back,  it  would  give  me  a  fit;  and  all  my  reports  are 
made  out  here. 

"  Now  you  see  how  I  'm  tied ;  I  have  a  tender  conscience 
when  it  comes  to  another's  trust,  and  I  have  never  specu- 
lated with  either  this  estate  or  Edith's.  I  have  made  some 
remarkable  investments,  but  none  which  could  be  called 
speculation,  and  yet  I  can  put  my  finger  right  now  on  some 
of  the — I  nearly  said,  juciest  —  propositions  you  ever 
saw." 

Phil  held  out  his  hand  silently  and  the  two  men  ex- 
changed a  warm  handshake. 

"  Edith's  father  saved  my  life,  you  know,"  suggested  the 
Colonel  a  little  wistfully. 

"  Yes,  yes,  you  told  me  the  story,"  said  Phil  hastily.  He 
had  heard  it  a  hundred  times  and  it  was  in  no  way  remark- 
able. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  "  asked  the  Colonel,  after 
they  had  sat  in  silence  for  some  time. 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Phil  in  savage  self-scorn.  "  I  wish 
to  heaven  I  were  an  ex-canal-boat  man." 

"  Why  not  be  my  partner  in  the  fictitious  real  estate  busi- 
ness?" asked  the  Colonel  invitingly.  "After  you  have 
watched  the  movements  for  a  year  you  can  begin  investing 
your  actual  funds,  and  Edith  need  never  know.  You  have 
an  ample  income,  and  it  really  looks  perfectly  sane  to  me." 

"  Oh,  it  is  the  sanest  thing  possible ;  but  I  am  not  sane. 
I  am  one  of  those  who  could  never  play  killed  in  a  sham 
battle,  or  even  get  any  excitement  out  of  it.  Even  as  a 
child,  I  could  hot  pretend  I  was  something  else,  as  most 
children  do.  The  only  time  I  played  burglar,  I  stole  a  dia- 
mond ring  and  it  nearly  caused — " 


COLONEL   ADVISES    CARE      45 

"  Yes,  I  have  heard  of  that,"  interrupted  the  Colonel, 
squaring  himself  with  no  small  degree  of  comfort.  He  sat 
for  a  space  in  meditation,  and  then  placing  his  hand  on 
Phil's  knee  said  earnestly :  "  She  should  not  have  done  it, 
Phil.  She  has  started  something  which  frightens  me. 
Why  don't  you  be  a  man,  why  don't  you  snap  your  fingers 
in  her  face  and  tell  her  that  you  are  your  own  master  ?  A 
woman  is  a  restless,  impulsive,  surface-skipping  creature 
and  a  man  is  not  required  to  tell  her  everything.  He  should 
in  a  measure  regard  her  as  a  child,  he  should  — " 

"  Well,  I  '11  do  it,"  said  Phil  with  mock  seriousness. 
"  I  '11  quote  you  as  authority,  and  I  '11  tell  her  what  you 
have  discovered  of  women  after  a  lifetime  spent  in  study- 
ing them." 

A  look  of  genuine  alarm  came  into  the  Colonel's  eyes 
as  Phil  arose,  but  it  was  quickly  chased  away  by  a  smile. 
"  I  'm  not  worried  about  that  part  of  you,  my  boy,"  he  said 
heartily,  also  rising  and  putting  his  hand  on  Phil's  shoul- 
der ;  "  but  I  do  wish  I  could  talk  you  into  my  original,  pri- 
vate, and  perfectly  safe  outlet  for  the  business  impulse. 
You  see,  Phil,  as  a  nation  we  are  rather  young  and  the 
young  are  likely  to  overdo,  to  plunge,  to  draw  on  their  sur- 
plus, in  other  words  to  lay  up  rheumatic  joints  for  their 
old  age  by  intemperance  in  their  youth.  That  is  what  we 
are  doing  about  business.  Other  things  are  worth  while 
besides  business,  but,  just  at  present,  it  is  a  fad  with  us, 
and  it  runs  through  our  blood  like  a  fever.  I  wish  Edith 
were  more  docile." 

"  Docile  —  Edith  ? "  murmured  Phil  with  a  grin. 
"  Well,  any  way,  Colonel,  I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for 
your  kindness  and  I  shall  not  abuse  your  confidence.  I 
hope  you  make  a  billion  dollars  in  fictitious  money  and  that 


46         THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  genuine  ex-canal-boaters  never  get  one  red  cent  of  it 
I  shall  think  over  your  proposition  carefully,  and  if  I  can 
force  myself  into  it,  I  swear  I  '11  do  so ;  but  it  is  a  bad,  bad 
bet.  Do  you  know,  Colonel  " —  very  soberly  —  "  that  I  am 
sometimes  a  little  worried  about  myself.  For  the  most 
part  I  am  as  steady  going  and  free  from  care  as  a  quart  of 
clotted  cream,  and  then  some  small  idea  arises  in  the  back 
part  of  my  head  and  begins  to  push  and  elbow  until  it  has 
standing  room,  and  after  that  it  begins  to  drive.  I  am 
often  forced  into  doing  things  which  my  judgment  tells  me 
are  foolish;  but  which  something  entirely  aside  from  my 
judgment  tells  me  will  be  for  the  best  some  time,  some 
place,  some  way.  It  is  a  queer  feeling,  this  having  a  vague, 
rather  feeble  faith  in  something  opposed  to  reason,  and 
blindly  obeying  it,  while  all  the  time  reason  says  that  I  am 
the  world's  favorite  in  the  open  class  for  feeble  witted." 

The  Colonel's  expression  was  profound.  He  motioned 
Phil  to  be  seated  again  and,  after  shaking  his  head  from  side 
to  side,  he  gave  expression  to  the  one  portentous  word, 
"  Liver." 

"  As  indicated  by  the  color  of  my  skin,"  added  Phil  with 
his  eyes  twinkling. 

"  I  can't  explain  it,  I  can't  explain  it,"  muttered  the 
Colonel  after  a  critical  examination  of  Phil's  glowing  ex- 
pression ;  "  but  Philip,  I  have  those  same  dizzy  spells  my- 
self and  blue  mass  always  makes  me  as  right  as  a  righter." 

"  Dizzy  spells,  blue  mass ! "  exclaimed  Phil  indignantly. 
"  This  body  of  mine  was  built  to  run  a  hundred  years. 
You  know  about  as  much  about  the  soul,  Colonel,  as  I  do 
about  business.  It  is  now  four  o'clock,  and  with  your  per- 
mission I  shall  again  thank  you  for  bracing  me  up,  and 
leave  you,  to  make  a  call  upon  your  ward." 


COLONEL   ADVISES    CARE      47 

"  Phil,"  said  the  Colonel  as  they  were  shaking  hands, 
"  no  matter  how  everlastingly  foolish  you  act  before  this 
fit  blows  over,  you  come  to  me  when  it  looks  the  blackest, 
and  I  '11  let  you  stand  on  my  shoulders  until  you  can  knock 
a  few  plums  off  the  tree  for  yourself.  Good  luck,  my 
boy." 


CHAPTER  FOUR 

SKATE   MORTON    IS   INTERESTED 

PHIL  walked  slowly  from  the  elevator  to  the  curb,  buried 
in  deep  thought  and  looking  rather  disconsolate.  He  stood 
on  the  curb  for  several  minutes,  his  brows  wrinkling  while 
his  hands  strayed  from  pocket  to  pocket,  according  to  their 
wont  when  his  mind  was  preoccupied.  The  right  one  pres- 
ently brought  forth  a  cigar  and  this  had  the  effect  of  putting 
Phil  once  more  in  touch  with  himself. 

"  I  wonder  what  can  have  become  of  Wilson,"  he  mut- 
tered impatiently.  "  I  certainly  must  have  told  him  to 
either  wait  for  me  or  else  to  call  at  this  hour.  He  has  never 
failed  me  before.  I  am  —  Oh,  I  remember." 

With  a  sigh,  Phil  turned  toward  the  Sixth  Avenue  ele- 
vated and  started  to  walk  rapidly,  with  the  result  that  he 
collided  with  a  man  of  quite  considerable  weight. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,"  said  Phil  with  that  chilly  ci- 
vility which  so  cleverly  conveys  the  true  message,  "  You 
stupid  ass,  why  don't  you  stick  to  the  streets  until  suffi- 
ciently trained  to  use  a  sidewalk  with  safety  to  the  general 
public."  It  was  bad  enough  to  walk  along  a  business  street, 
crowded  as  it  was  at  this  hour;  but  to  walk  along  this 
crowded  street  in  order  to  board  an  elevated  train  was  be- 
yond the  demands  of  courtesy. 

Phil  included  all  of  this  in  his  formal  plea  for  pardon, 
but  it  fell  flat,  very  flat  indeed.  The  man  of  weight 

48 


MORTON    IS    INTERESTED      49 

straightened,  looked  Phil  full  in  the  face  and  raising  his, 
hands  palms  outward,  he  brought  them  down  on  Phil's  shoul- 
ders with  a  resounding  whack.  "  Why  Phillie,  Phil,  Phil !  " 
he  exclaimed  heartily.  "  Should  the  sun  rise  in  the  west, 
the  North  Pole  set  in  the  south,  and  all  the  stars  join  hands 
and  dance  a  ballet,  I  could  view  the  spectacle  with  equa- 
nimity; but  to  see  you  on  foot  in  this  neighborhood  — 
Come,  let  us  get  a  stimulant  while  you  break  the  news  to 
me  as  gently  as  possible." 

"Skate,  old  boy,  I'm  rejoicing  at  the  sight  of  you!" 
exclaimed  Phil,  his  face  beaming.  "  But  what  do  you  train 
on  —  lard  oil  and  grape  sugar  ?  You  run  to  suet  like  a  fat 
stock  show.  Why  don't  you  work  some  of  it  off?" 

"  Work?  Why,  you  leisurely  old  loafer!  I  work  sixteen 
hours  every  day  and  lie  awake  all  night  planning  the  next 
campaign,"  returned  Mr.  Ronald  L.  Morton,  sometimes 
known  as  "  Skate,"  as  he  locked  arms  with  his  friend  and 
hurried  him  along  at  what  Phil  considered  a  most  unseemly 
pace. 

"  You  still  look  fit  for  the  mile,  son;  how  do  you  do  it?  " 
asked  Morton,  a  bit  wistfully,  as  soon  as  the  waiter  had  been 
attended  to. 

"  Easy  enough,"  said  Phil,  who  had  for  the  nonce 
emerged  from  his  doleful  present;  "you  see  I  .  .  ." 

For  the  next  half  hour  the  conversation  volleyed  back  and 
forth  between  the  past  and  the  near-present  like  a  brisk 
game  of  tennis.  They  had  been  good  friends  at  college 
and  had  chosen  diverging  paths  since  leaving  it.  There 
was  a  rich,  rare  flavor  to  this  chance  meeting  until  at  last 
Morton  suddenly  asked,  "  But  man  alive,  Phillie,  how  did 
I  happen  to  catch  you  slumbering  on  Rector,  with  all  your 
social  duties  to  attend  to?" 


50          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Phil's  face  fell.  A  face  never  really  falls  independent 
of  its  immediate  surroundings;  but  the  horns  of  all  the 
little  crescents  with  which  his  face  had  been  dotted  flattened 
out  and  turned  the  other  way,  and  this  being  the  outward 
and  visible  sign  that  his  high  spirits  had  fallen,  the  stock 
phrase  is  not  so  outrageous  as  most  of  them  are. 

A  wave  of  sympathy  rose  to  Morton's  face  at  this  quick 
change  in  his  friend.  "  Speak  your  piece,  little  one,"  he 
said  encouragingly.  "  You  have  put  me  over  a  good  many 
high  places  in  the  old  days,  and  I  hereby  offer  my  humble 
body  for  a  stepping  stone  if  you  can  think  up  any  way  to 
use  it." 

Phil's  face  hardened  into  an  expression  of  grim  deter- 
mination. "  Skate,"  he  said  in  the  low,  slightly  tremulous 
voice  in  which  the  man  chosen  to  lead  the  forlorn  hope 
leaves  directions  regarding  the  final  disposition  of  the  watch 
containing  the  miniature,  "  Skate,  I  am  going  into  busi- 
ness." 

Morton  put  his  hands  on  the  table  and  looked  searchingly 
into  his  friend's  eyes,  looked  a  long  moment,  and  threw 
himself  back  in  his  chair  with  a  howl.  "  Phillie,  you  cer- 
tainly will  be  the  death  of  me  yet.  That  was  exactly  the 
stop  you  pulled  out  when  you  told  me  that  you  were  about 
to  elope  with  the  Simson  girl.  Some  of  these  days,  you  '11 
take  yourself  just  a  shade  too  seriously  and  die  a  hero. 
Going  into  business !  "  and  Morton  threw  back  his  head  and 
roared  with  enthusiastic  joy. 

All  this  time  Phil  was  sitting  bolt  upright  against  the  un- 
yielding back  of  his  dignity.  "  It  is  a  serious  step,"  he 
said  without  unbending.  "  I  do  not  know  any  more  about 
business  than  you  do  about  good  manners,  and  I  have  a 
lot  to  lose.  I  don't  mean  just  the  money  end  of  it,"  he 


MORTON    IS    INTERESTED      51 

added  scornfully.  "  I  mean  the  little  luxuries,  habits,  and 
recreations  which  have  heretofore  made  up  my  life;  the 
quiet  evenings  in  my  own  apartment  when  I  look  about  and 
see  on  every  side  the  loving  tokens  of  old  friends  .  .  ." 

Morton  leaned  forward  and  gazed  mournfully  upon  the 
polished  face  of  the  table  as  he  clasped  his  hands  across  his 
breast.  "  How  natural  he  looks,  how  peaceful,  and  almost, 
almost  happy,"  he  murmured  softly,  while  his  eyes  danced. 

"  Confound  you,  I  mean  it !  "  exclaimed  Phil. 

"Mean  what?" 

"  That  I  am  going  into  business." 

"  Then  I  know  what  my  work  is  for  the  next  few 
months,"  said  Morton,  dry-washing  his  hands  after  the 
manner  of  one  who  has  made  a  pleasing  bargain. 

"  What  is  it  ? "  asked  Phil  innocently. 

"  Sleuthing  around  after  you  and  getting  my  share  of 
your  honey.  What  vandal  ever  put  such  an  idea  into  your 
head  anyway?" 

"  No  vandal,"  replied  Phil  decisively.  "  There  comes  a 
time  in  every  man's  life  when  his  own  responsibilities 
stand  up  and  confront  him,  when  the  lost  opportunities  of 
his  own  past  steal  forth  from  their  lurking  places  and  taunt 
him,  when — " 

"  Gently,  Philip,  gently.  I  have  known  thee  a  fair  long 
time,  and  something  other  than  a  new  birthday  has  filled 
thee  with  a  restless  conscience  and  blank  verse.  Art  thou 
in  love?  Madness  always  cometh  with  love,  although 
usually  in  a  less  violent  form  than  yours.  Speak  out 
frankly,  place  your  burdens  on  my  shoulders  for  a  space 
and  I  shall  tote  them  along  while  you  are  getting  your 
breath.  You  remember,  don't  you,  that  formerly  I  made 
very  comfortable  interference  for  you?  All  right,  then  try 


52          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

it  again,  play  series  number  two  without  signals,  and  play 
fast." 

"  I  am  in  love,"  answered  Phil,  his  face  reddening  a  lit- 
tle, "  but  that  is  only  an  item.  I  have  recently  had  a  com- 
plete awakening  and  my  mind  is  fully  made  up.  I  am  going 
into  business." 

"  All  right,"  said  Morton  briskly.  "  Now,  business  is 
my  present  element.  I  am  no  longer  to  be  classed  merely 
with  the  land  animals,  I  am  more  than  that, —  I  am  a  busi- 
ness animal.  I  know  where  you  can  invest  some  money  to 
make  it  pay  you.  Do  you  know  anything  at  all  about  the 
customary  size  of  legitimate  profits  ?  " 

"  Wilson  said,"  answered  Phil  without  hesitation,  "  that 
we  could  make  fifty  per  cent,  profit  from  the  very  start." 

"  Wilson  is  a  faker !  "  exclaimed  Morton,  lunging  forward 
in  his  chair  and  striking  the  table  violently,  a  movement 
which  immediately  summoned  the  waiter,  who  properly 
took  it  for  granted  that  a  little  of  the  same  was  desired. 
"  Fifty  per  cent. !  Why,  you  would  have  to  invest  in  a  kit 
of  burglar's  tools  to  make  an  investment  pay  fifty  per  cent, 
nowadays.  Who  is  this  Wilson?" 

"  He  is  a  man  with  whom  I  have  had  much  experience, 
and  in  whose  judgment  I  have  the  utmost  confidence,"  an- 
swered Phil  loftily. 

"  Philip,  you  can't  afford  to  trust  him.  Once  in  a  life- 
time, perhaps,  a  man  has  a  chance  to  hang  it  on  the  fifty 
per  cent,  hook;  but  the  odds  are  so  long  that  most  of  us 
only  look  back  and  sigh  for  not  having  played  the  bet. 
How  much  was  he  talking  of  investing?  Of  course  some 
little  deal  might  lug  home  a  trophy  like  this,  but  not  the 
big  ones.  Too  many  sharp  eyes  on  the  watch  for  them." 

"  A  hundred  thousand  dollars,"  responded   Phil ;  "  and 


MORTON    IS    INTERESTED     53 

the  proposition  has  taken  such  a  hold  on  me  that  I  am 
thinking  of  increasing,  rather  than  decreasing  the  invest- 
ment." 

Morton  shook  his  head.  "  No  wonder  you  're  worried. 
Why,  if  I  had  a  hundred  thousand  in  any  such  wild  cat 
scheme  as  this,  I  'd  be  off  my  feed  until  it  had  gone  under 
and  left  me  free  to  think  again.  Now,  I  have  up  my  sleeve 
a  business  proposition,  a  genuine  chance  for  legitimate  in- 
vestment, which  figures  a  paper  profit  of  forty  per  cent,  on 
a  million  dollar  investment.  Knocking  off  ten  per  cent,  for 
incidentals  and  accidents,  and  you  have  thirty  per  cent,  as 
safe  as  water  from  a  spring.  While  it  is  in  its  present 
stage  you  can  get  in  on  the  ground  floor  and  go  on  up  with 
a  company  of  trained  and  seasoned  financiers.  Oh,  Phil, 
don't  fool  your  money  away  on  gold  bricks.  Where  was 
this  Wilson  going  to  invest  this  money  ?  " 

"  Right  here  in  New  York,"  answered  Phil  sturdily. 
"  Don't  that  prove  it  ?  "  demanded  Morton,  holding  up  his 
hand  for  judgment.  "  Why,  I  'd  pay  out  a  good  piece  of 
money  just  to  look  at  the  man  who  can  invest  a  hundred 
thousand  in  New  York  and  make  it  pay  back  fifty  thou- 
sand every  time  the  clock  struck  a  new  year.  You  're  hyp- 
notized." 

"  Where  is  your  investment  ?  " 

"  Not  in  New  York,  I  assure  you.  New  York  is  already 
in  the  hands  of  the  Philistines,  and  if  you  are  in  search  of  the 
golden  fleece,  you  have  to  make  a  regular  quest  for  it.  It 
is  n't  even  in  this  country.  It 's  half  way  around  the  globe 
where  the  heathen  are  still  fussing  about  pleasing  their 
idols,  and  that  is  about  the  only  stage  of  arrested  develop- 
ment where  they  will  pay  a  brainy  man  fifty  per  cent,  for 
taking  their  hides  off.  You  get  fifty  per  cent  away  from 


54          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

a  New  Yorker  and  you  have  to  chloroform  him,  and  when 
he  comes  to  ha  puts  up  such  a  howl  that  you  generally  have 
to  pay  part  of  it  back  to  soothe  him." 

"  What  sort  of  investment  is  it?" 

"  Now,  Phil,  a  fellow  can  tell  you  all  about  a  fifty  per 
cent,  investment  while  you  are  waiting  for  a .  car ;  but  to 
give  you  the  full  details  of  a  legitimate  business  proposi- 
tion requires  time.  How  much  time  have  you  at  present  ?  " 

Phil  looked  at  his  watch  in  consternation,  and  then  rose 
hastily.  "  Great  Scott,  Skate,  it  is  after  five  and  I  had  an 
engagement  with  Edith  at  three." 

"  Edith  is  the  name,  is  it  ?  "  commented  Morton.  "  Well, 
as  long  as  Edith  is  responsible  for  your  plunge,  she  will 
have  to  accustom  herself  to  waiting;  so  you  might  as  well 
sit  down  and  listen  to  me  with  your  very  best  brand  of  at- 
tention, while  she  sits  home  and  fusses  herself  into  a  fuller 
respect  for  you.  The  fear  of  woman  is  the  beginning  of 
weakness." 

"  No,  I  really  want  to  see  her  on  matters  of  importance." 

"  Is  she  any  relation  to  Wilson  ?  "  asked  Morton  quickly. 

"  She  positively  is  not,"  answered  Phil. 

"  When  can  you  see  me  and  give  me  plenty  of  time  ? 
Have  you  an  office  ?  " 

"  No ;  at  present  I  am  conducting  my  affairs  at  my  apart- 
ment. Give  me  your  card,  and  before  I  make  any  new  in- 
vestments, I  promise  to  give  you  a  chance  to  convince  me. 
By  the  way,  I  met  your  aunt,  quite  by  chance,  the  other  day, 
and  she  invited  me  to  spend  the  first  week  in  August  with 
her." 

"Aunt  Mary?  Well,  don't  you  miss  it.  She  is  the  salt 
which  never  does  lose  its  savor,  and  I  'm  going  to  be  there 


MORTON    IS   INTERESTED      55 

myself.  We'll  have  the  time  of  our  lives  and  —  Is  either 
Edith  or  Wilson  to  be  there?  " 

"  I  am  not  yet  sure  that  I  shall  be  there  myself ;  but  I  am 
sure  that  neither  of  them  will  be.  Now,  I  really  must  go. 
I  have  to  ride  on  a  beastly  elevated  and  I  'd  rather  shovel 
dirt." 

"  Phil,"  said  Morton  solemnly  as  he  rose  to  his  feet, 
"  to-day  we  flourish  like  the  green  bay  tree,  but  if  we  listen 
to  the  siren  song  of  the  fifty  percenter,  to-morrow  we  actu- 
ally shall  shovel  dirt.  The  slides  are  always  greased,  re- 
member, and  don't  go  near  them  unless  under  the  care  of 
a  truly  friend.  I  'm  mighty  glad  to  have  met  you  again. 
So  long." 

Phil  felt  much  refreshed  as  he  hurried  away.  Already 
he  was  a  man  of  affairs.  At  least,  he  was  watching  the 
new  game  from  the  sidelines,  and  an  old  familiar  itch  for 
new  games  was  stirring  within  him  pleasantly. 


CHAPTER  FIVE 

NATHAN   MEYER  SUGGESTS  CAUTIOIf 

PHIL  was  not  familiar  with  that  part  of  the  city.  He  did 
not  like  the  odor  of  it,  the  appearance  of  it,  or  the  sounds 
of  it.  As  he  had  said,  once  or  twice  a  year  he  hurried 
down  to  sign  some  papers,  and  then  hurried  back  to  dis- 
cover some  new  way  of  increasing  his  expenditures  in  order 
to  balance  his  increased  income. 

Now,  he  left  Morton  and  hastened  away  in  what  he  sup- 
posed was  the  direction  of  the  elevated ;  but  so  busy  was  his 
mind  upon  new  and,  as  the  new  always  was  to  him,  in- 
teresting topics,  that  he  became  turned  about  in  the  maze 
of  small  streets  through  which  he  traveled,  and  the  maze 
of  large  thoughts  which  traveled  through  him. 

It  was  with  a  start  of  surprise  that  he  suddenly  stopped 
and  examined  a  dingy  building  of  the  old  school  which  had 
a  strangely  familiar  appearance.  "  The  office  of  Nathan 
Meyer  is  in  this  building,"  he  reassured  himself ;  "  his  ad- 
dress is  Maiden  Lane,  therefore  I  must  be  in  Maiden  Lane." 

Pleased  with  the  accuracy  of  his  conclusion,  Phil  turned 
in  at  the  door  with  the  mental  comment,  "  Nathan  is  one 
of  the  genuine  grubbers ;  he  never  goes  home,  and  it  will  be 
a  stroke  of  clever  business  to  step  in  while  I  am  in  the 
neighborhood  and  learn  just  how  much  I  am  worth  and 
how  quickly  I  can  turn  it  into  cash." 

56 


MEYER    SUGGESTS    CAUTION    57 

He  abruptly  paused  and  a  thoughtful  frown  came  to  his 
face.  "  I  was  to  ride  in  the  park  with  Edith  this  morning, 
and  there  make  up  my  mind  whether  I  should  polo  this 
afternoon  or  make  that  call  she  has  been  fussing  about.  I 
can't  remember  whether  I  was  to  wire  the  boys  that  I 
should  play  polo  or  that  I  should  n't.  Under  some  condi- 
tion, I  know  I  was  to  wire ;  but  it  makes  no  difference.  All 
my  life  I  have  been  cursing  others  for  offering  business  as 
an  excuse  for  forgetting  engagements,  and  it  is  high  time 
the  wind  set  in  another  direction  for  a  change.  The  Skate 
was  right;  I  shall  just  let  Edith  fume  to  a  froth.  This  is 
her  handiwork  and  if  it  proves  to  be  a  Frankenstein,  she 
should  be  the  last  one  to  register  a  kick." 

Having  thus  examined  himself  faithfully  and  found  that 
he,  at  least,  was  free  from  blame,  Phil  climbed  a  flight  of 
stairs  and  entered  the  sober  office  of  his  high  steward. 

Nathan  Meyer  was  a  slender  Jew  with  high  forehead, 
beautiful,  deep  set  eyes,  and  a  look  of  culture.  His  face 
showed  the  leanness  of  the  mental  athlete,  and  his  white, 
flowing  hair  suggested  a  poet.  He  was  a  scholar,  a  stu- 
dent, a  man  of  tireless  energy,  but  not  a  grubber,  as  Phil 
had  lightly  called  him.  The  wide  variety  of  his  tastes  saved 
him  from  that. 

He  was  seated  in  his  inner  office  reading  "  Heine  "  in  the 
original,  when  Phil  opened  the  outer  door.  The  clerks 
were  gone  and  the  door  between  inner  and  outer  office  was 
standing  ajar.  Nathan  hastily  slipped  the  volume  into  a 
drawer,  covered  his  face  with  its  habitual  reserve,  and 
stepped  into  the  outer  office.  Instantly  his  face  changed 
to  one  of  pleasure.  He  was  very  fond  of  Phil.  The  boy's 
trust  in  him,  his  utter  ignorance  of  business,  and  his  joy- 
ous, healthy  personality,  all  appealed  to  a  side  of  the  old 


58          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Jew  which  few  suspected,  and  very  few  indeed  ever  en- 
countered. 

"  Oh,  it  is  you,  is  it,  Philip  ?  Come  in,  come  in  and  take  a 
seat.  I  am  filled  with  curiosity  to  learn  what  can  have 
brought  you,  uncalled,  to  my  spider  web." 

"  Mr.  Meyer  " —  it  was  thus  they  invariably  addressed 
each  other  and  it  added  to  the  pleasure  of  their  association 
— "  I  happened  here  quite  by  accident,  and  thought  I  would 
kill  the  proverbial  two  birds.  I  was  on  my  way  to  catch  the 
Sixth  Avenue  elevated  and  did  not  know  I  was  in  your 
neighborhood  until  I  came  face  to  face  with  this  building." 

"  From  where  did  you  start?  "  asked  Nathan. 

"  From  over  on  Rector,"  answered  Phil  innocently. 

The  only  symbol  of  Nathan's  amusement  was  the  in- 
creased twinkling  in  his  eyes.  "  You  are  right,  Philip.  Al- 
ways save  as  much  time  as  you  can.  When  once  a  man 
learns  how  to  use  time  he  finds  little  enough  of  it  at  his 
disposal." 

"  I  wanted  to  ask  you  how  much  I  am  worth  and  how 
long  it  would  take  to  turn  it  into  cash." 

Nathan  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  examined  Phil  crit- 
ically. "  I  have  handled  your  estate  a  long  time,  Philip ; 
but  this  is  the  most  surprising  question  you  have  ever  asked 
me.  I  should  say  that  your  estate  was  worth  at  least  six- 
teen hundred  thousand  dollars  " —  he  paused,  but  Phil's 
face  expressed  neither  pleasure  nor  disappointment.  It  did 
not  even  express  surprise  — "  But  if  you  were  to  turn  it 
rapidly  into  cash,  it  would  probably  not  yield  over  fourteen 
hundred  thousand." 

"  That  will  be  enough,"  responded  Phil  lightly,  but  with 
a  thoughtful  expression  on  his  face.  "  That  will  leave  me 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars  still  to  invest." 


MEYER    SUGGESTS    CAUTION    59 

"  Could  I  venture  to  ask  you  a  few  of  your  reasons  for 
desiring  a  change  ?  "  asked  Nathan. 

"  I  am  utterly  weary  of  wasting  my  opportunities,"  an- 
swered Phil  earnestly.  "  Here  I  am  nearly  thirty  years 
old,  and  no  broader  purpose  in  life  than  I  had  when  I  left 
college,  and  not  so  much  as  I  had  when  I  entered.  I  am 
going  to  plunge  around  a  bit  and  become  a  man  of  affairs." 

"  It  is  an  original  method,"  said  Nathan  gently.  "  Plung- 
ing around  a  bit  always  brings  results,  but  very  seldom  that 
one.  Do  you  mean  that  you  are  going  to  use  your  for- 
tune to  capitalize  a  new  venture  which  will  be  entirely  un- 
der your  own  control ;  or  — " 

"  No,"  answered  Phil  in  answer  to  the  suggestive  pause, 
"  I  shall  probably  invest  a  million  in  one  proposition  and  a 
hundred  thousand  in  another;  while  I  still  have  one  to  in- 
vestigate before  coming  to  a  decision  upon  it." 

"  I  have  been  in  your  confidence  a  long  time,  your  estate 
has  largely  increased  under  my  care,  and  it  would  please 
me  if  you  would  go  into  the  particulars  of  these  new  in- 
vestments. Even  a  hundred  thousand  dollars  is  a  sum 
worthy  of  quite  careful  consideration."  There  was  dignity 
in  Nathan's  opening  sentence,  satire  in  his  closing,  but, 
like  many  of  Nathan's  remarks,  aimed  too  far  above  his 
listener's  head  to  even  attract  his  attention. 

"  Oh,  I  am  going  carefully  all  right,"  said  Phil.  "  I  am 
having  practical  tests  made  now  in  the  smaller  proposition. 
Of  course  I  do  not  understand  the  fine  points  of  business ; 
but  I  do  intend  to  play  a  hard,  careful  game  of  it  and  pick 
up  the  scientific  details  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  About  what  interest  do  you  expect  to  make  your  cap- 
ital earn,  Philip?" 

"  The  hundred  thousand  parcel  will  earn  fifty  per  cent. 


60          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

from  the  very  start,  while  the  million  will  win  at  least 
thirty,  and  probably  forty.  It  figures  out  a  safe  forty  on 
paper;  but  I  have  estimated  that  unforeseen  accidents  and 
incidentals  might  bring  it  down  ten  per  cent.,  and  it  is  best 
to  be  conservative." 

"  Yes,  very  true,"  corroborated  Nathan ;  "  it  is  best  to  be 
conservative;  and  after  all,  even  thirty  per  cent,  is  a  pleas- 
ant return  upon  an  investment  of  this  size,  a  very  pleasant 
return.  I  do  not  suppose  that  you  would  be  willing,  even 
under  the  pledge  of  my  secrecy,  to  tell  me  who  is  back  of 
such  an  opportunity?  I  cannot  believe  that  this  is  all  your 
own  scheme,  Philip." 

"  No ;  Wilson  is  back  of  the  smaller  deal,  and  Ska  —  Mr. 
Ronald  L.  Morton  brought  my  attention  to  the  larger  op- 
portunity." 

Nathan  rubbed  his  forehead  with  slender,  sinewy  ringers 
—  fingers  which  could  coax  beautiful  music  from  harp  or 
violin.  "  I  cannot  recall  the  names,"  he  said,  shaking  his 
head.  "  It  is  odd.  I  am  familiar  with  most  of  the  men 
who  nose  out  the  good  things,  but  I  must  admit  that  if 
such  game  as  this  is  actually  afloat,  you  have  stolen  a  march 
on  me.  What  is  the  nature  of  the  business?  " 

"  I  shall  put  the  hundred  thousand  into  a  branch  of  the 
automobile  industry,  but  I  do  not  feel  at  liberty  just  at  this 
time  to  even  hint  at  the  character  of  the  larger  proposition. 
You  understand  how  I  am  situated,  I  am  sure." 

"  That  is  all  right,  Philip,  that  is  all  right.  Even  to  me 
it  would  not  be  right  to  divulge  plans  not  yet  ready  to  put 
into  operation.  I  think  that  you  have  chosen  well  as  to 
the  automobile  industry.  It  is  going  to  grow  to  immense 
proportions,  and  if  your  friend  Wilson  is  capable  and 
honest  — " 


MEYER    SUGGESTS    CAUTION     61 

"  I  have  already  had  much  experience  with  him,  and  he  is 
in  every  way  reliable.  He  not  only  has  a  theoretical,  but  a 
practical,  knowledge  of  the  automobile  industry,  and  I  can 
see  no  possible  way  for  his  plan  to  fail.  The  larger  in- 
vestment is  not  so  certain ;  so  you  will  probably  have  plenty 
of  time  to  turn  the  estate  into  cash  to  a  good  advantage. 
I  shall  probably  not  need  it  for  two  weeks  yet." 

"  That  is  certainly  plenty  of  time,"  said  Nathan  gravely. 
"  Now,  Philip,  it  will  not  be  hard  to  convert  your  estate 
into  cash  as  it  is  at  present  very  satisfactorily  invested  — 
although  it  is  not  earning  fifty,  or  even  forty  per  cent. 
If  you  will  take  a  little  advice,  you  will  leave  it  as  it  is 
and  borrow  the  hundred  thousand  dollars.  If  it  does  pay 
fifty  per  cent,  from  the  very  start,  it  will  soon  pay  itself 
back.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  venture  refuses  to  respond 
in  reality  as  enthusiastically  as  it  did  on  paper  —  a 
phenomenon  not  unheard-of  in  the  business  world  —  you 
can  save  enough  out  of  your  income  to  repay  the  loan  in 
a  few  years  and  will  have  received  no  actual  hurt  at  all." 

"  Why  should  I  borrow  money  of  another  when  I  have 
some  myself  ?  "  asked  Phil  in  a  skeptical  tone. 

"  That  is  the  way  business  is  mostly  done,"  reminded 
Nathan  gently.  "  Philip,  my  interest  in  you  is  much  more 
than  that  of  an  agent  for  his  client.  I  have  studied  you 
closely,  and  you  are  not  of  the  temperament  which  suc- 
ceeds in  business.  There  are  many  other  fields.  Why  do 
you  not  engage  in  some  sort  of  sociological  work?  This 
is  a  vast  field ;  almost  every  level  of  society  offers  an  out- 
let for  the  very  best  a  man  has  in  him.  Very  often  the 
man  who  engages  in  methodical  philanthropy  has  within 
him  some  bitterness  left  by  past  struggles  with  the  very 
people  he  is  trying  to  help.  This  warps  him  and  prevents 


62          THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

his  doing  his  very  best;  but  you  are  still  unspoiled.  You 
would  enter  into  this  work  with  the  heart  of  a  child  and 
the  mind  and  strength  of  a  man.  I  feel  that  I  am  right  in 
warning  you  that  you  will  be  saddened  and  embittered  if 
you  engage  in  business." 

"  I  appreciate  your  attitude,  Mr.  Meyer,  I  truly  do,  and 
I  half  fear  that  you  are  right;  but  the  deuce  of  it  is,  that 
I  have  already  signed  for  the  cruise  and  I  'm  going  on 
with  it  even  if  it  is  proved  that  all  will  end  in  a  wreck  — 
and  I  'm  going  to  steer  my  own  boat,  too." 

Phil  folded  his  arms  and  sat  with  his  eyes  on  the  ceil- 
ing. Nathan  drummed  silently  on  the  arms  of  his  chair 
and  sat  with  his  eyes  upon  the  carpet.  His  sensitive,  re- 
served face  very  faintly  indicated  the  busy  thoughts  which 
convened  behind  his  high,  smooth  brow. 

"  You  have  so  many  of  the  things  which  money  seems 
to  offer,  but  which  money  cannot  always  get,"  he  said  at 
last,  not  enviously,  not  bitterly,  but  still  a  little  wistfully. 
"  My  income  is  larger  than  yours,  and  yet  I  cannot  grant 
the  wishes  of  my  daughter." 

Phil  frowned  ever  so  slightly.  He  was  aware  of 
Nathan's  one  weakness.  He  had  never  seen  the  daughter, 
although  Nathan  had  repeatedly  made  the  suggestion  in  a 
diplomatic  and  quite  indirect  way.  Phil  felt  much  that 
his  reason  could  never  have  gathered.  He  knew  that 
Nathan  would  do  anything  in  his  power  to  induce  Phil  to 
introduce  his  daughter  into  the  exclusive  center  of  Phil's 
social  spiral,  but  Phil  had  always  managed  to  ignore  the 
suggestions,  subtle  though  they  were. 

As  long  as  the  Jew  is  content  to  merely  covet  the  stocks, 
bonds,  and  real  estate  of  the  Gentile,  he  moves  with  the 
dignity  of  a  conquering  prince;  but  the  very  moment  he 


MEYER    SUGGESTS    CAUTION    63 

stoops  to  covet  the  artificial  social  privileges  of  the  Gentile, 
he  opens  the  way  to  a  thousand  germs  of  weakness. 
Nathan  k-new  this  also;  but  his  daughter,  his  only  child, 
was  a  fact  stronger  than  all  theories  whatsoever. 

"  I  '11  have  to  go,  now,"  said  Phil,  shaking  hands.  "  Get 
the  stuff  in  shape  for  prompt  action  and  don't  worry. 
Things  always  turn  out  right,  even  if  we  don't  live  to  see 
it.  Good-bye." 


CHAPTER  SIX 

EDITH    IS   THREATENED   WITH    REPENTANCE 

PHIL,  being  in  a  thoughtful  mood  after  leaving  Nathan, 
took  little  heed  as  to  his  direction  and  naturally  reached  the 
elevated  by  the  most  direct  route.  It  was  beginning  to 
rain  as  he  mounted  the  steps,  and  everything  was  pecul- 
iarly dirty,  and  everyone  was  in  a  particular  hurry,  and 
Phil  himself  was  surfeited  with  disgust  The  one  ray 
of  light  was  the  fact  that  it  was  after  seven  and  Edith  had 
already  been  forced  to  wait  for  him  twice. 

He  did  not  sit,  although  there  was  space  enough  when 
he  first  entered;  but  the  clammy  appearance  of  the  seats 
repelled  him  and  he  stood  in  the  aisle  looking  bored.  It 
was  a  motley  division  which  rode  on  the  elevated  at  this 
hour  and  Phil  stood  with  his  head  tilted  back  and  his  eyes 
fixed  upon  nothing  at  all.  As  the  car  traveled  north, 
people  of  color  got  on  and  off,  and  he  was  bumped  and 
jostled  without  ceremony.  Suddenly  the  frown  on  his  face 
lifted  and  beneath  it  shone  a  happy  smile.  "  I  shan't 
change  a  rag,"  he  said  to  himself  maliciously.  "  I  '11  go 
around  just  as  I  am  and  I  won't  even  have  the  dirt  rubbed 
from  my  shoes." 

This  noble  purpose  put  him  in  good  humor  with  himself 
once  more  and  he  was  quite  contented  when  he  left  the 
car  at  Fifty-ninth.  This  content  made  a  comforting  and 
inviting  light  beam  from  his  eyes  and  inspired  Mrs.  Bran- 

64 


REPENTANCE  65 

nigan  to  ask,  "  Won't  you  buy  some  fruit,  sir  ?  I  have  here 
some  foine  apples,  extra  foine  apples." 

Phil  turned  and  saw  that  he  was  addressed  by  a  portly 
woman  standing  beside  a  small  fruit  stand.  Her  fruit  was 
protected  by  a  tattered  army  poncho,  but  she  herself  was 
facing  the  rain,  which  dripped  from  her  dilapidated  hat, 
streaked  her  weather-beaten  face  and  trickled  down  the 
faded  shawl  which  covered  her  shoulders. 

"  Why  do  you  not  have  a  covered  stand  in  which  you  can 
sit,  like  the  others  do?"  asked  Phil  sternly. 

"  Oi  can't  afford  ut.  I  ran  this  stand  all  last  winter 
just  as  it  is,  f reezin'  me  feet  aich  day ;  but  makin'  an  hon- 
est livin'  fer  meself  an'  Patsy.  Oi  've  saved  ivery  cint  he  's 
made  sellin'  paypers,  and  he  's  goin'  to  get  a  bit  iv  schoolin' 
some  day." 

"  Yes,  and  you  '11  get  the  pneumonia  and  not  be  here  to 
see  him  at  it,"  scolded  Phil.  This  woman  was  actually  in 
business  and  there  seemed  to  be  a  thread  of  class  interest 
between  them.  "  How  much  would  a  good  stand  cost  ?  " 

"  Oh,  fifty  dollars  nearly,  more  thin  Oi  could  save  in  six 
months.  It 's  out  of  the  quistion.  I  get  along  purty  com- 
fortably most  of  the — " 

"  This  is  nonsense.  Now  if  I  give  you  fifty  dollars,  will 
you  promise  me  that  you  will  get  a  good,  comfortable  stand 
with  a  stove  in  it  for  winter  ?  " 

"  Oi  would  n't  have  the  heart  to  spind  all  that  on  mesilf . 
I  'm  wonderful  healthy,  an'  Patsy  is  — " 

"All  right,  then  I'll  keep  it  myself,"  said  Phil  gruffly. 
"  I  am  willing  to  advance  you  the  fifty  dollars  if  you  '11 
promise  to  get  the  stand  at  once;  but  if  you  refuse  to 
promise  " —  Phil  frowned  severely  — "  I  shall  have  a  stand 
put  up  here  to  suit  me  —  and  keep  the  change  for  the 


66          THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

bother  you  might  have  saved  me  by  tending  to  it  your- 
self." 

This  practical  reasoning  so  astonished  Mrs.  Brannigan 
that  she  felt  she  would  be  imposing  upon  this  kindly- faced 
young  man  who  stood  without  heeding  the  rain  which  spat- 
tered upon  him  and  swept  her  away  by  the  sheer  logic  of 
his  arguments. 

"  Will,  if  thot  's  the  way  you  feel  about  it  Oi  '11  axcept 
your  proposition.  Oi  '11  agree  to  have  a  foine  stand  set 
up  here  wid  a  stove  in  it;  but  why  are  ya  doin'  this  fer  a 
pore  owld  woman  ya  niver  set  eyes  on  before?" 

"  I  am  going  to  charge  you  interest,"  said  Phil  fixing  his 
eyes  upon  her  as  though  about  to  claim  his  pound  of  flesh. 
"  Every  time  I  pass  here  you  are  to  give  me  one  apple,  the 
brightest  and  reddest  of  them  all." 

Mrs.  Brannigan  laughed.  "Thot  will  be  tumble  drain 
on  me !  Oi  've  been  here  two  full  years  now  and  this  is  the 
first  time  you  have  iver  passed.  Oi  niver  forget  a  face  — 
an*  few  women  would  forget  yours." 

"  I  have  just  started  in  business  and  I  'rn  likely  to  pass 
here  seven  times  a  day,"  threatened  Phil. 

"  Will,  Oi  don't  belave  a  word  ya  say ;  but  if  you  do, 
Oi  '11  be  glad  o'  the  soight  o'  ya.  Tell  me  what  makes  ya 
give  me  fifty  dollars." 

"  I  'm  superstitious.  I  Ve  just  started  into  business  and 
I  am  doing  this  to  bring  me  luck,"  said  Phil  as  he  slipped  a 
fifty  dollar  bill  from  his  book  and  held  it  out  with  a  smile. 

Phil's  voice  was  careless,  but  the  quick  tears  came  to 
Mrs.  Brannigan's  eyes.  "  You  '11  have  all  the  luck  Oi  can 
send  ya,  all  roight,  an'  me  prayers  wid  it.  I  give  ya  luck, 
long  loife,  double  love,  an'  prosperity  —  an'  God  bliss  ya 
ivery  minute  ov  the  day ! " 


REPENTANCE  67 

Phil  hurried  on,  chuckling  to  himself,  and  soon  forgot 
the  fat  little  woman  in  calling  up  Edith's  consternation 
when  he  came  dripping  into  her  immaculate  domain.  When 
he  reached  the  Circle  the  rain  had  increased  and  he  de- 
cided to  call  a  cab. 

He  stood  upon  the  curb  making  up  his  mind  which  cab 
to  signal  —  all  of  Phil's  actions  were  complicated,  he  him- 
self being  totally  unconscious  of  this  —  the  driver's  face 
and  the  horses  feet  usually  decided  his  choice  of  a  cab. 
But  instead  of  selecting  one  of  those  on  the  stand,  his  heart 
gave  a  thump  of  joy  to  see  his  own  motor  car  coming  into 
the  Circle  from  upper  Broadway.  He  was  a  little  surprised 
to  see  it  in  charge  of  a  strange  chauffeur,  and  holding  up 
his  hand  with  a  commanding  gesture,  he  ordered  him  to 
the  curb. 

"  Sorry,  sir,  but  I  have  a  fare,"  said  the  man  at  the 
wheel. 

"Whose  car  is  that?"  demanded  Phil  authoritatively. 

"  It  belongs  to  the  Wilson  Public  Service  Company,"  an- 
swered the  man  unavved,  "  but  as  I  said,  I  already  am  en- 
gaged. Here  is  one  of  our  cards  and  any  time  we  can  be 
of  service  — " 

The  curtains  of  the  auto  parted  and  the  keen,  good- 
natured  face  of  Mr.  Skate  Morton  appeared  between  them. 
"  Phil,  you  pest,  get  in  here,"  he  said.  "  I  would  rather 
take  you  wherever  you  want  to  go  than  to  have  you  hold 
me  here  all  night  asking  silly  questions  of  the  driver." 

"  Madison  Avenue,  double  some  X,"  said  Phil  shortly 
as  he  stepped  into  the  car.  He  was  a  little  put  out  at  hav- 
ing the  privileges  of  his  own  car  held  from  him  until 
granted  by  a  man  who  did  not  hold  the  faintest  proprie- 
tory  interest. 


68          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  This  is  a  great  find,  Phil,"  said  Morton.  "  Don't  touch 
me,  man !  you  are  as  wet  as  a  drowned  rat.  Sit  ahead  there 
and  I  '11  tell  you  the  how.  This  concern  has  the  two  finest 
cars  in  New  York,  for  rent  by  hour,  day,  or  week.  Jimmy 
Hodge  had  it  this  afternoon,  picked  me  up  on  my  way 
home,  got  out  and  sent  me  on.  I  overtook  old  Tightfist 
Meridan,  invited  him  in  and  hauled  him  out  to  West  End 
Avenue.  I  think  I  have  landed  him  for  a  good  bunch  in 
that  scheme  I  told  you  of  and  it  will  only  cost  me  eight 
dollars  for  this  wagon.  You  had  better  get  in  on  that  deal 
early,  Philip.  It  is  the  biggest  fish  in  the  pond  at  this 
writing." 

Phil  was  smiling  inwardly  now.  Wilson's  spectacular  en- 
terprise in  the  matter  of  having  cards  printed  and  starting 
away  at  full  speed  appealed  to  his  sense  of  the  picturesque, 
and  he  chatted  comfortably  with  Morton  until  the  car 
stopped  in  front  of  Edith's  door. 

"  I  suppose  that  this  is  the  abode  of  Edith,"  said  Morton 
sagely ;  "  and  you  must  be  on  extremely  sure  grounds  to 
venture  to  enter  in  your  present  condition.  Well,  happy 
times,  happy  times." 

"  Many  thanks,  Skate.  I  '11  pay  your  street  car  fare  the 
next  time  we  are  out  together.  So  long,  old  man." 

"  That  Wilson  is  a  real  wonder,"  ejaculated  Phil  as  he 
waited  in  the  vestibule  after  ringing  the  bell. 

He  had  hard  work  ironing  the  mischief  out  of  his  ex- 
pression as  he  climbed  the  stairs  to  the  parlor.  The  maid 
had  permitted  her  surprise  to  become  visible  and  Phil 
hoped  that  there  was  company ;  but  in  this  he  was  disap- 
pointed. 

Edith  sat  alone  at  the  farthest  end  of  the  narrow  room, 
and  she  was  dressed  for  almost  any  kind  of  evening  affair. 


REPENTANCE  69 

There  was  a  glint  of  reproach  in  her  eyes,  and  a  chill  in 
her  voice  as  she  asked,  "  Are  you  aware  that  you  had  an 
unconditional  engagement  with  me  this  morning,  another 
this  evening  and  a  conditional  one  this  afternoon  ?  " 

Phil  put  on  a  hurt  look.  "  You  do  not  suppose  that  I 
could  forget  an  engagement  with  you,  do  you,  Edith?  I 
remembered,  certainly ;  but  I  have  been  rushed  to  a  degree 
to-day  and  have  not  even  had  time  to  telephone." 

"  You  must  have  been  ordering  some  new  clothes,"  was 
the  sarcastic  response.  ( "  You  undoubtedly  need  them,  or 
you  would  not  think  of  making  such  an  appearanc'e  after 
dinner." 

"  Dinner ! "  exclaimed  Phil  with  general  surprise. 
"  Now  you  have  touched  upon  a  most  important  lapse  of 
memory.  I  have  had  but  one  meal  this  day,  and  that  a 
very  skimpy  one.  Could  you  possibly  —  is  the  Colonel  at 
home?" 

"  The  Colonel  was  called  out  upon  a  pressing  business 
matter  immediately  after  dinner." 

"Good!  Well,  could  you  get  me  his  smoking  jacket  — 
my  coat  is  wet  through  —  and  then  if  you  would  hunt  me 
up  a  small  snack,  any  little  thing,  some  cold  meat,  a  bottle 
of  claret,  a  bit  of  fruit  —  don't  go  to  any  bother,  but 
really,  I  'm  famishing." 

Edith  rose,  started  towards  the  door,  wavered,  turned  to 
Phil  and  asked,  "  Phil,  whatever  is  the  matter  with  you  this 
evening?  " 

"  Business,  Edith.  I  am  in  the  grip  of  my  arch  enemy, 
and  I  am  beginning  to  feel  that  I  can  learn  the  game  and 
put  him  on  the  mat  three  points  down." 

There  was  a  new  confidence  about  him  and  Edith's  face 
wore  a  puzzled  expression  as  she  left  the  room. 


70          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Phil  removed  his  coat,  chuckled  aloud  as  he  caught  his 
reflection  in  the  glass  and  noted  the  condition  of  collar 
and  tie.  "  Ah,  ha,  you  would,  would  you  ? "  he  really 
asked  Edith,  but  addressed  the  reflection,  which  held  up 
a  warning  finger  to  match  his  own.  "  You  would  throw 
your  glove  into  the  lion's  den  with  a  laugh.  Well,  I  am 
down  in  the  den  now,  and  you  can  just  continue  to  laugh. 
I  may  laugh  myself  before  it 's  all  over." 

When  Phil  was  finally  called  to  the  cosy  dining-room, 
he  contented  himself  for  the  first  twenty  minutes  with  giv- 
ing an  exhibition  of  a  hungry  man  getting  rid  of  that 
annoying  sensation.  Edith  watched  him  with  that  well-dis- 
ciplined patience  which  was  one  of  her  most  reliable  assets. 
When  Phil  gave  his  third  sigh  of  relief,  she  ventured  to 
ask,  "  What  possible  business  could  you  have  found  in 
one  day  ?  " 

"  I  have  found  investments  for  eleven  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars,  I  have  gone  into  details  with  Nathan  Meyer, 
I  have  investigated  the  most  original  and  complicated  real 
estate  business  in  existence,  I  have  formed  the  Wilson 
Public  Service  Company,  and  I  have  arranged  for  the 
erection  of  a  building  for  the  retailing  of  fruit." 

In  checking  up  his  day,  Phil  was  surprised  at  its  scope 
and  as  he  confined  himself  strictly  to  facts,  his  simple 
sincerity  made  a  strong  impression  upon  his  audience. 
Edith  made  no  reply;  she  studied  his  face  carefully;  but 
he  was  once  more  busy  with  his  appetite,  and  she  saw  that 
he  had  evidently  performed  after  some  fashion  the  acts 
which  he  had  mentioned. 

"  You  must  be  very  cautious,  Phil,"  she  said  earnestly. 
"  I  wish  that  you  would  consult  with  Colonel  Edgerton. 


REPENTANCE  71 

He  has  had  unlimited  success,  and  I  am  sure  he  would  be 
glad  to  advise  you." 

"  Wanted  to  take  me  into  partnership ;  but  he  is  too 
easily  satisfied  in  the  matter  of  dividends.  I  am  not  going 
to  follow  the  beaten  paths.  The  Wilson  Public  Service 
will  pay  fifty  per  cent,  clear  from  the  very  start." 

Edith  felt  that  she  had  lost  something ;  the  machine  which 
she  had  constructed  had  proved  stronger  than  her  control, 
and  she  felt  deserted,  cast  aside,  entirely  unnecessary.  In 
order  to  reassert  herself  it  seemed  desirable  that  Phil  be 
properly  humiliated. 

"  Pride  goeth  before  a  fall,"  she  began. 

"  And  victuals  before  a  famine,"  added  Phil. 

This  was  not  successful,  and  Edith  putting  on  her  most 
severe  look  said :  "  Phil,  I  have  never  had  faith  in  your 
judgment  since  the  day  you  sent  me  that  miserable  dog." 

Several  years  previous  Phil  had  gone  into  the  country, 
and  being  touched  by  the  suffering  of  a  Great  Dane  at- 
tached to  an  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  troupe,  had  bought  the 
dog  and  sent  it  to  Edith  to  care  for  until  his  return.  The 
dog  was  old,  lame,  of  immense  size  and  forbidding  coun- 
tenence,  and  in  addition  had  the  mange.  Edith  was  fond 
of  dogs  a  la  mode,  rather  than  au  naturel.  She  did  her 
best  for  Phil's  sake ;  but  he  had  stayed  six  weeks  longer 
than  he  intended,  and  on  his  return  the  dog  had  nearly 
caused  the  breaking  of  their  engagement,  which  at  that  time 
was  quite  new  and  strong.  He  had  taken  the  dog  to  his 
own  apartment  and  had  bestowed  upon  him  such  loving 
and  loyal  service  that  the  dog  forgot  his  early  prejudice 
against  the  Sorrowful  Star,  and  when  he  passed  away,  he 
carried  with  him  an  impression  of  this  earth  such  as  is 


72          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

vouchsafed  only  to  the  darlings  of  the  gods.  He  died  in 
Phil's  bedroom,  and  Phil  held  one  of  the  gaunt  gray  paws 
at  the  last.  It  was  one  of  Phil's  sacred  memories  and  a 
dangerous  one  to  trample  on. 

"  You  seem  to  have  a  terrible  time  getting  that  dog  out 
of  your  system,  Edith,"  he  said  curtly  and  a  little  coarsely. 
"  I  wish  that  all  my  friends  were  as  true  to  me  as  Simon 
Legree  was." 

"  Your  friends  are  true  to  you,  Phil,  even  though  you 
generally  fail  to  appreciate  them.  I  am  sure  that  I  am 
ready  to  do  anything  in  my  power  to  aid  you ;  but  I  do 
not  want  you  to  do  anything  foolish,  and  then  to  feel  that 
I  am  really  responsible  for  it." 

"  Your  responsibility  ends  with  having  awakened  me ;  I 
shall  shoulder  all  the  after  results,"  answered  Phil  with 
head  thrown  back. 

Before  Edith  could  answer,  the  maid  entered  with  the 
announcement  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fenton  were  waiting  in 
the  reception  room. 

"I  forgot  to  tell  you,  Phil,"  said  Edith,  "that  they 
wanted  us  to  go  with  them  this  evening,  roof  garden  and 
supper,  or  something  like  that.  We  could  drop  you  to 
dress  and  you  could  join  us  later.  Your  car  is  still  out- 
side, is  it  not?" 

"  I  am  no  longer  keeping  a  car.  I  shall  have  little  time 
to  use  one  for  pleasure,  and  I  included  them  among  the 
assets  of  the  Wilson  Public  Service  Company."  Edith 
stood  aghast.  "  Furthermore,"  continued  Phil,  "  I  am 
very  weary  and  to-morrow  I  must  arise  early  and  put 
through  a  lot  of  work;  so  you  must  excuse  me.  I  don't 
suppose  you  will  see  very  much  of  me  until  things 
get  to  going  smoothly,  but  I  '11  drop  in  every  odd  minute. 


REPENTANCE  73 

Now,  I  '11  go  into  the  Colonel's  den  and  smoke  a  cigar,  and 
you  go  along  with  the  Fentons  and  have  enough  fun  for  us 
both." 

This  suggestion  was  finally  acted  upon,  after  Edith  had 
vainly  attempted  to  overrule  it;  but  it  must  be  confessed 
that  when  Phil  turned  in  at  eleven,  he  possessed  a  feeling 
of  content  surpassing  that  held  collectively  by  the  other 
three. 


CHAPTER  SEVEN 

PHIL   IS  QUITE   COMPLACENT 

IT  was  ten  days  before  Edith  saw  Phil  again,  ten  busy, 
bothersome,  blitheful  days  —  for  Phil.  He  arose  early 
and  during  his  dressing  listened  to  the  remarkable  scope 
of  the  field  which  Hereford  desired  to  exploit.  Hereford 
was  piqued  to  a  degree  at  the  difference  which  had  taken 
place  in  Wilson  since  his  having  become  the  business  part- 
ner of  his  late  employer,  and  Hereford,  not  a  venturesome 
man  naturally,  was  each  hour  finding  some  new  reason 
why  Phil  should  also  be  the  silent  partner  in  the  Hereford 
Domestic  Service  Company,  which  term  was  the  result  of 
much  earnest  cogitation  upon  the  part  of  its  author. 

Hereford  was  not  original,  but  he  was  very  thorough, 
and  Phil  was  becoming  interested  in  the  case  as  Hereford 
presented  it.  Wilson  proved  to  be  a  marvel  of  energy,  and 
The  Public  Service  Company  was  paying  a  profit  of  one 
hundred  per  cent,  upon  its  original  investment,  over  and 
above  all  expenses.  Phil  was  ready  to  advance  the  hun- 
dred thousand  the  very  moment  that  Wilson  decided  upon 
the  type  of  car  he  wanted.  Wilson  felt  that  the  class  he 
most  desired  as  clients  would  prefer  that  the  cars  they 
rented  should  have  the  appearance  of  private  cars,  and  he 
was  doing  some  very  careful  figuring. 

Skate  Morton  finally  succeeded  in  getting  a  satisfactory 
interview  with  Phil  and  left  Phil  very  much  in  favor  of  his 

74 


PHIL    IS    COMPLACENT         75 

scheme.  Morton  spent  three  evenings  at  Phil's  apart- 
ment; but  found  it  impossible  to  do  anything  but  gossip; 
and  he  finally  took  Phil  for  a  drive  in  Phil's  own  car  with 
Wilson  driving,  and  this  so  delighted  Phit  that  he  listened 
to  the  scheme,  and  was  lost.  Morton  confessed  that  an 
English  company  was  back  of  it  and  that  he  was  merely 
working  on  a  commission,  that  it  was  so  remarkably  pic- 
turesque and  promised  such  high  dividends  that  it  appeared 
to  be  a  colossal  confidence  game  and  therefore  he  found  it 
very  difficult  to  interest  the  large  investors.  Phil  had  to 
admit  that  it  was  an  exceedingly  interesting  project  and 
could  hardly  decide  whether  or  not  it  appeared  quite  sane ; 
but  he  pondered  over  it  constantly  and  consulted  with  his 
friends  in  a  round-about  way.  Curiously  enough,  Wilson's 
enthusiastic  views  upon  the  future  demand  for  tires  proved 
the  strongest  argument  influencing  Phil. 

Nathan  Meyer  on  one  hand,  and  Colonel  Edgerton  on 
the  other,  argued  conservatism  with  Phil  until  their  rela- 
tions were  a  trifle  strained.  With  Nathan  and  the  Colonel 
attracting  him  in  one  direction,  and  Hereford,  Wilson,  and 
the  Skate  attracting  him  in  the  opposite  direction,  Phil 
was  held  exactly  in  his  own  orbit;  but  the  strain  became, 
naturally,  very  noticeable  at  times. 

It  was  not  noticeable,  however,  on  the  evening  of  his 
call  upon  Edith  after  an  interval  of  ten  days.  He  was 
wearing  a  Tuxedo  and  a  pearl  gray  Fedora,  and  proposed 
that  they  go  where  there  was  "  music,  small  tables,  and  a 
big  crowd."  Both  Edith  and  Phil  had  reached  the  plateau 
where  friendship  is  more  to  be  desired  than  envy.  With 
everyone  who  goes  into  society  there  is  always  a  period 
when  the  peculiar  elation  incidental  to  "  making  up  "  is 
made  radiant  by  the  thought  that  in  a  few  minutes  many 


76          THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

a  desirable  personage  will  be  filled  with  envy  at  the  result 
of  the  process.  It  is  an  honest  feeling,  legitimately  handed 
down  through  ages  of  evolution  and  dates  back  longer  than 
man  himself.  It  is  so  emphatically  part  of  his  nature  that 
man  himself  is  not  aware  of  it  —  until  he  outgrows  it  and 
is  able  to  look  back  upon  it  from  above. 

We  are  liable  to  deride  vanity,  but  it  is  probably  the  char- 
acteristic with  which  the  world  could  least  afford  to 
dispense.  Vanity  has  made  ten  heroes  to  every  one  which 
patriotism  can  claim,  ten  martyrs  for  every  one  which  re- 
ligion can  show,  ten  scholars  for  every  one  which  the  Pla- 
tonic love  of  absolute  knowledge  has  begotten ;  and  heroes, 
martyrs,  and  scholars  are  quite  essential.  If  it  were  not 
for  vanity  we  should  all  be  lazy,  dirty,  ignorant,  and  con- 
tented; whereas  we  now  wear  ourselves  out  years  before 
our  time,  doing  things  which  do  not  greatly  matter  any- 
way. 

And  furthermore,  we  do  not  outgrow  vanity  itself;  we 
merely  outgrow  different  phases  of  it.  The  child's  vanity 
waxes  fat  upon  a  sore  toe  or  a  pink  ribbon,  while  the 
philosopher  may  affect  slouchy  raiment  and  whiskers. 
When  we  pause  at  the  various  plateaus  of  our  upward 
climb,  we  look  back  sheepishly  at  the  different  vanities  we 
have  discarded,  and  bravely  take  a  vow  to  live  up  to  some 
new  vanity,  thinking,  in  our  innocence,  that  it  is  a  great 
principle.  After  mounting  to  the  roof  of  his  own  vanity 
and  brazenly  shouting :  "  Vanity,  vanity,  all  is  vanity,"  the 
poet  might  have  added,  "  And  a  mighty  good  thing  for  the 
human  race,  too." 

So  that  their  development  is  very  clearly  seen,  when  it  is 
stated  that  Phil  and  Edith  had  ceased  to  become  enthu- 
siastic over  balls,  formal  receptions,  and  kindred  painful 


PHIL   IS    COMPLACENT          77 

functions,  and  now  sought  less  conventional  gatherings 
where  they  could  give  expression  simply  to  natural  joy 
without  feeling  any  twinges  of  conscience.  Phil  was  more 
firmly  ensconced  upon  this  plateau  than  was  Edith,  the 
human  male  being  less  vain  of  the  outward  and  visible 
than  the  female;  and,  in  order  to  maintain  the  balance, 
cherishing  in  his  midst  eccentricities  of  thought  and  habit 
as  picturesque  and  unreasonable  as  the  hats  and  gowns  of 
the  ladies. 

"  Where  do  you  want  to  go  ?  "  asked  Edith. 

"  Oh,  Madison  Square  roof  will  do.     I  want  to  be  alone 

so  I  can  tell  you  all  I  have  accomplished  in  the  last  few 

days,  and  everybody  is  alone  in  a  place  like  that.     It  is 

cool,    stimulating,    noisy   enough   to   permit   easy   talking, 

.and—" 

"  I  suppose  that  will  do  as  well  as  any,"  conceded  Edith 
without  enthusiasm.  Edith  was  not  quite  herself  these 
days,  and  she  was  very  eager  to  be  once  more  in  perfect 
touch  with  Phil's  plans.  The  Colonel  had  suggested  that 
she  use  her  influence  to  turn  Phil  from  business  to  sport, 
and  she  had  resented  the  suggestion  by  lecturing  the 
Colonel  upon  his  misdeeds  which  had  gone  unchidden  for 
several  weeks. 

The  most  minute  invoice  of  a  woman's  deeds  would  not 
inspire  love.  She  must  herself  be  seen;  and  to  see  Edith 
this  night  would  explain  much  that  is  otherwise  not  ap- 
parent. She  was  very  beautiful,  which  was  all  the  more 
impressive  from  the  plainly  evident  fact  that  this  was  a 
matter  of  small  moment  to  herself.  Her  brows  were 
drawn  into  a  thoughtful  little  frown,  altogether  bewitch- 
ing, and  Phil  floated  upon  the  peculiar  cloud  which  always 
afforded  him  transportation  when  he  followed  Edith 


78          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

through  an  assembly  of  his  fellow  citizens  and  noted  the 
glances  of  admiration  which  were  showered  upon  her. 
There  was  a  simplicity  about  Phil's  love  which  made  it  al- 
most unique  in  the  modern  world  of  flippant  affections. 

When  at  last  they  were  seated  and  the  order  had  been 
given,  Edith  squared  her  shoulders,  leaned  toward  Phil 
and  said,  "Well?" 

Phil  unconsciously  squared  his  own  shoulders  in  turn, 
took  a  deep  breath,  and  smiled.  "  You  are  entitled  to 
laugh  as  much  as  you  please,  Edith,"  he  said  after  a 
minute ;  "  but  the  sooner  you  get  serious,  the  sooner  we  '11 
get  to  the  finer  points  of  the  discussion." 

"  I  never  was  more  in  earnest,"  protested  Edith. 

"  Yes,  but  you  have  not  yet  heard  the  proposition  upon 
which  the  Skate  has  steered  me.  You  would  not  guess  it 
in  a  hundred  years." 

"  It  is  very  hard  to  associate  practical  business  with  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Skate,"  objected  Edith.  "  Why  do 
you  not  call  him  by  his  real  name  ?  " 

"  It  is  harder  to  associate  his  proposition  with  practical 
business  than  practical  business  with  his  title,"  warned 
Phil. 

"  You  act  as  though  ashamed  to  tell  me  what  it  is,"  said 
Edith  scornfully. 

"  Well,  it  does  test  my  nerve  a  bit,"  admitted  Phil ;  "  but 
any  way  I  '11  make  a  plunge.  It  has  to  do  with  sacred  cows 
and  rubber  plants." 

Phil  paused  and  Edith's  eyes  opened  wide  with  surprise 
and  incredulity.  "  What  in  the  world  do  you  mean  ?  "  she 
demanded. 

"  I  rolled  on  the  couch  in  a  convulsion  of  mirth,  when  the 
Skate  sprang  it  on  me,"  confessed  Phil ;  "  but  the  more  you 


PHIL    IS    COMPLACENT         79 

listen  to  it,  the  more  it  sounds  like  the  low,  vague  rap  that 
Opportunity  gives  at  your  lattice  window  when  you  are 
still  enjoying  the  forty  winks.  Now  listen : 

"  In  the  Malay  Peninsula,  as  in  holy  Benares,  itself,  for 
hundreds  of  years  the  sacred  cows,  snow  white,  with  funny 
little  humps  on  their  shoulders,  and  an  exaggerated  idea 
of  their  own  importance  in  their  hearts,  have  been  fed  upon 
rose  leaves,  and  similar  dainties,  and  in  return  were  only 
asked  to  chew  their  cuds  in  philosophic  content,  and  exert 
a  mystic  influence  upon  the  gods  for  the  good  of  the 
people." 

"  But  what  has  all  this  to  do  with  your  business  invest- 
ments?" interjected  Edith.  "You  have  been  silly  enough 
about  animals  before;  but  I  trust  that  you  are  not  con- 
templating the  importation  of  sacred  cows  with  an  intent 
to  make  them  a  fad  ?  " 

"  As  long  as  they  were  part  of  the  religion,  the  only 
way  to  get  private  possession  of  one  was  to  steal  it;  but 
when  business  needs  a  thing,  religion  and  theft  become  mat- 
ters about  which  we  have  no  concern.  The  sacred  cows 
have  become,  theoretically,  useful  to  business.  The  new 
company  is  to  make  them  practically  so. 

"  The  soil  of  the  Malay  Peninsula  is  peculiarly  adapted 
to  the  raising  of  rubber ;  rubber  is  peculiarly  adapted  to 
tires,  tires  to  automobiles,  automobiles  —  Well,  you  ought 
to  hear  Wilson  on  that  subject;  no  one  else  can  do  it 
justice." 

"Who  is  this  Wilson?" 

"  Superintendent  of  the  Public  Service  Company,  a  man 
with  whom  I  have  had  an  intimate  acquaintance  for  some 
time.  Now  to  go  on  with  the  larger  proposition:  A  com- 
pany has  been  formed  in  England  for  the  purpose  of  de- 


8o         THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

veloping  the  Malay  Peninsula,  planting  ten  million  rubber 
trees,  getting  control  of  the  tin  and  gold  mines,  squeezing 
the  natural  resources  instead  of  letting  them  moulder 
away.  Mules  are  expensive  and  scarce,  and  besides,  a 
mule  is  a  temperamental  animal  and  subject  to  all  kinds 
of  nervous  affections  which  render  him  irritable  and  diffi- 
cult to  — " 

"  Well,  what  on  earth  have  mules  to  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  Exactly  the  question  I  asked.  I  rejoice  to  see  that  our 
minds  travel  along  similar  grooves.  It  is  going  to  take  a 
lot  of  motive  power  to  clean  out  the  jungle  and  turn  it  into 
a  rubber  grove,  and  the  first  step  will  be  to  remove  the 
sacredness  from  the  cattle  and  turn  them  into  oxen.  See  ? 
It  is  a  great  scheme  and  it  is  typical  of  this  age;  it  is  up 
to  the  minute,  and  it  will  pay  corking  dividends.  Labor 
will  be  cheap  there,  too.  Singapore  is  a  great  range  for  the 
human  mavericks  of  the  East,  Chinamen,  black,  hairy 
Klings,  Japanese,  oh,  a  goodly  assortment  of  hard  workers 
accustomed  to  living  on  rice  and  fresh  air.  We  shall  need 
a  lot  of  more  skillful  laborers,  also,  and  when  they  arrive 
we  shall  sink  the  sacredness  of  the  cattle  another  notch,  and 
butcher  the  old  ones  for  beef.  I  declare,  Edith,  when  you 
look  at  it  critically,  the  whole  thing  is  profit,  the  cost  of 
running  won't  amount  to  anything,  and  the  largest  expense 
will  be  slipping  the  graft  to  the  maharajahs  and  the  priests. 
We  '11  have  to  soak  them  pretty  thoroughly  at  the  start ;  but 
after  that  it  will  be  happy  days  for  the  stockholders.  The 
only  thing  I  am  hesitating  about  is  whether  to  invest  twelve 
hundred  thousand  or  only  the  even  million." 

"  It  sounds  like  piracy  to  me,"  said  Edith  thoughtfully. 

Phil  stared  at  her.     "  Piracy  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Yes,  to  go  over  there  and  take  advantage  of  the  people's 


PHIL    IS    COMPLACENT          Si 

ignorance  and  take  their  wealth  away  from  them,  and 
trample  on  their  religion,  and  — " 

"  You  are  a  beautiful  specimen  of  a  civilized  race,"  in- 
terrupted Phil  with  .great  earnestness  and  taunting  scorn. 
"  The  idea  of  a  Christian  having  the  slightest  regard  for 
any  other  religion !  What  do  we  send  out  the  missionaries 
for,  I  'd  like  to  know  ?  You  are  everlastingly  siccing  some 
old  lady  onto  me  for  a  missionary  contribution;  and  now 
you  seem  to  prefer  jungles  to  rubber  groves,  and  sacred 
cows  to  hymn-books!  Do  you  know  what  a  set  of  tires 
costs?" 

"  I  can't  quite  explain  myself,"  said  Edith  doubtfully. 
"  I  know  that  the  Christian  religion  is  the  only  one  to  con- 
sider ;  but,  still  —  I  have  been  reading  about  the  other  re- 
ligions lately  and  it  is  surprising  how  much  they  resemble 
each  other  in  some  things.  I  — " 

"  You  read  entirely  too  much.  I  suppose  this  is  some  of 
your  New  Thought  nonsense.  There  is  no  putting  a  finger 
on  you  any  more;  you  are  a  regular  mental  flea.  Here  I 
have  been  working  myself  to  a  bone  to  satisfy  you,  and  now 
when  I  make  a  report  which  ought  to  arouse  your  en- 
thusiasm, you  prate  of  piracy  and  wish  to  continue  the  wor- 
ship of  sacred  cows.  Is  n't  a  stick  or  a  stone  as  good  to 
worship  as  a  cow  —  and  it  costs  less  to  keep,  too.  It  is 
impossible  to  civilize  a  heathen  without  making  him  skep- 
tical of  his  heathenism.  You  are  one  of  those  curious 
make-ups  who  long  to  see  the  poor  dwelling  in  comfortable 
frame  houses,  but  would  refuse  to  give  your  consent  to  the 
cutting  down  of  a  single  tree.  Now  I  wish  you  would  at- 
tempt to  explain  yourself  in  simple  primer  words,  so  that  I 
can  understand  part  of  it,  at  least." 

"  I  can't  explain  myself,"  exclaimed  Edith.     "  Phil,  you 


82          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

cannot  imagine  all  I  have  been  through  since  that  afternoon. 
I  thought  I  had  a  settled  philosophy,  and  I  find  that  I  am 
all  at  sea ;  I  thought  I  wanted  you  to  be  so  engrossed  in  af- 
fairs that  I  should  be  but  a  minor  incident  in  your  life;  I 
find  I  want  you  near  me  most  of  the  time;  I  thought — " 

"  Well,  I  'm  glad  to  know  that  you  are  human,  after  all," 
said  Phil  with  a  chuckle  of  genuine  relief.  "  I  never  sup- 
posed you  had  any  problems  to  work;  it  always  seemed  to 
me  that  the  flowers  in  your  garden  all  grew  with  labels  on 
them  bearing  their  scientific  botanical  names;  and  really  it 
helps  me  a  lot  to  discover  that  there  are  forks  to  your  road 
as  well  as  mine.  I  feel  so  joyful  over  this  that  I  am  a 
regular  poet  and  shall  stir  up  metaphors  to  my  heart's  con- 
tent. I  like  mixed  metaphors  best  anyway.  For  a  straight 
diet,  straight  whiskey  and  straight  metaphors ;  but  for  gala 
occasions  the  mixed  drink  for  mine.  There  is  a  certain 
heady—" 

"  Don't  get  so  far  from  the  subject,  Phil,"  cautioned 
Edith.  She  felt  unpleasantly  the  new  independence  in 
Phil's  tone,  and  refused  to  abdicate  without  a  struggle. 
"  You  said  that  you  were  hesitating  as  to  whether  it  would 
be  best  to  invest  a  million  or  twelve  hundred  thousand, 
why—" 

"  Nathan  Meyer  says  he  can  only  raise  fourteen  hundred 
thousand  on  short  notice.  I  have  put  one  hundred  thousand 
into  the  Public  Service,  and  shall  put  a  like  amount  into  the 
Hereford  Domestic  Service  Company.  This  leaves  me 
twelve  hundred  thousand,  and  I  don't  know  whether  to  put 
it  all  into  the  Unicorn  Developing  Company,  or  — " 

"  What  gives  you  so  much  confidence  ?  " 

"  I  have  given  you  a  hasty  sketch  of  the  prospectus,  and 
this  alone  is  enough  to  inspire  confidence ;  but  I  must  con- 


PHIL    IS    COMPLACENT         83 

fess  that  it  is  on  account  of  the  Skate's  connection  that  I 
feel  so  sure." 

"  What  other  American  capitalists  are  in  it  ?  " 
"  Martin  A.  Meriden  has  unbelted  for  a  tidy  sum,  and 
as  you  may  have  heard,  he  has  honestly  earned  the  title, 
'  Tightwad.'     There  is  a  long  list  of  English  titles  in  the 
company,  and  I  am  sure  it  will  be  a  live  actor.     By  going  in 
early,  I  get  an  equal  amount  of  common  stock  for  all  the 
preferred  I  buy,  and  —  it  looks  like  a  safe  bet  to  me." 
"  What  does  Colonel  Edgerton  think  of  it  ?  " 
"  Oh,  he  and  Nathan  Meyer  belong  to  the  same  school  of 
knockers.     Anything  which  appears  good  must  necessarily 
be  bad,  is  their  one  and  only  business  rule.     Of  course  I 
have  not  told  them  any  details,  but  I  have  sounded  them  and 
they  croak  so  dismally  that  it  hurts  me  to  hear  them." 

"  I  wish  that  instead  of  putting  in  over  a  million,  you 
would  put  in  only  half  that  sum,"  said  Edith  hesitatingly. 
"  It  may  be  as  profitable  an  investment  as  you  think,  but 
it  sounds  too  much  like  Jack  and  the  Beanstalk  to  convince 
me  entirely,  and  at  any  rate,  five  hundred  thousand  dollars 
is  ample  risk  for  a  man  to  put  upon  the  judgment  of  his 
friend." 

"  And  also  on  his  own  judgment,"  added  Phil  with  dig- 
nity. "  You  see,  Edith,  business  is  not  like  going  to  see 
Yellowstone  Park.  We  have  been  putting  that  off  for  years 
on  the  plea  that  it  would  always  be  here  and  sometime  it 
might  happen  that  we  should  not  wish  to  go  anywhere  else ; 
but  in  business  it  is  necessary  to  snap  shoot  as  the  game 
leaps  across  the  narrow  opening  —  or  else  put  on  a  sickly 
grin  and  pretend  that  you  never  had  a  chance  at  all  and  that 
Fate  would  go  barefoot  over  a  bed  of  hot  cinders  in  order 
to  throw  sand  in  your  eyes." 


84          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  Let 's  leave  it  to  Fate,"  suggested  Edith. 

"  That  sounds  more  reasonable,"  assented  Phil.  "  What 's 
your  propo  ?  " 

"  Write  the  different  sums  from  five  hundred  thousand  to 
a  million  on  slips  of  paper,  shake  them  up  in  your  hat,  and 
draw  one." 

"  That 's  all  right,  only  we  '11  make  it  on  up  to  the  twelve 
hundred  thousand.  You  write  the  even  numbers,  and  I  '11 
write  the  fifty-thousand  ones  and  this  will  give  us  quite  a 
variety." 

Edith  wrote  eight  cards,  upon  seven  of  which  the  lowest 
figure  was  written  and  upon  the  eighth  was  the  highest. 
She  showed  this  one  to  Phil  as  she  dropped  it,  and 
he  smiled  invitingly  at  the  tiny  slip  as  it  fluttered  into 
the  hat.  Edith's  face  was  a  little  pale;  her  conscience  did 
not  pain  her  in  the  least  for  having  arbitrarily  made  the 
chances  seven  to  eight  in  favor  of  the  smallest  number,  but 
she  was  extremely  anxious  to  keep  her  subterfuge  from 
Phil.  He  was  a  fanatic  upon  strict  rigidity  in  every  form 
of  sport,  and  she  did  not  wish  to  be  judged  by  his  standard, 
even  though  she  refused  to  acknowledge  to  herself  the  in- 
fallibility of  the  standard.  In  this  peculiar  attitude  she  was 
very  distinctly  Edith  Hampton,  and  yet  she  did  not  appear 
to  lose  any  of  the  typically  feminine  traits. 

Phil,  as  innocent  as  a  lamb,  shook  up  the  hat  with  a 
hearty  good  will,  and  Edith  picked  out  the  deciding  slip. 
It  proved  to  be  eight  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  and  she 
gave  a  sigh  of  relief  as  Phil  tossed  the  remaining  numbers 
into  the  air. 

"Well,  that  settles  that,"  he  said  simply;  "but  it  puts 
a  lot  more  work  on  me.  Such  chances  as  this  are  not 
running  around  loose  and  —  but  we  left  it  to  a  test,  and 


PHIL    IS    COMPLACENT          85 

I  '11  not  welch.     That 's  just  a  bully  dress  you  're  wearing 
to-night,  Edith.     I  wish  that  — " 

When  Phil  set  his  sails  on  this  tack,  Edith  had  no  prob- 
lem at  all  in  steering  him,  and  they  both  had  a  happy  even- 
ing. 


CHAPTER  EIGHT 

A   GENERAL   MELEE 

"  You  will  regret  this,"  said  Nathan  Meyer  a  few  days  later 
as  he  handed  Phil  a  certified  check  for  eight  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars. 

"  I  never  regret  things,"  responded  Phil  with  simple  dig- 
nity. 

"  You  have  had  so  little  business  experience  that  it  is  not 
possible  for  you  to  place  so  large  a  sum  in  one  investment 
without  taking  unwarrantable  risks.  I  wish  that  you  would 
change  your  mind  even  yet,  Philip." 

"  I  did  not  make  up  my  mind ;  Fate  decided  the  amount. 
I  cannot  take  the  responsibility  of  thwarting  Fate." 

"  This  makes  nine  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars," 
mused  Nathan. 

"  And  you  had  better  cash  the  rest  as  promptly  as  pos- 
sible," added  Phil,  "  as  I  shall  need  it  shortly." 

"  You  will  regret  this,"  warned  Skate  Morton  an  hour 
later. 

"  Not  a  chance,"  said  Phil  confidently. 

"  You  '11  have  to  root  up  the  entire  crust  of  this  earth  a 
mile  deep  to  find  another  investment  to  match  it,  and  a  few 
months  hence  it  will  be  too  late.  You  should  have  put  in 
your  last  cent  and  all  you  could  borrow." 

"  I  don't  yearn  to  be  wealthy,"  protested  Phil.  "  I  am 
merely  assuming  the  burden  of  looking  after  my  own  prop- 

86 


A    GENERAL    MEL^E  87 

erty  in  order  to  be  placed  in  closer  touch  with  the  privileges 
and  responsibilities  of  true  citizenship.  When  I  look  back 
upon  my  wasted  youth  — " 

"  If  you  live  to  be  as  old  as  Methuselah,  you  will  never 
be  able  to  look  back  upon  such  a  wasted  opportunity  as  this 
one,"  said  Mr.  Morton  solemnly. 

When  he  mentioned  the  matter  incidentally  to  Hereford, 
Wilson,  and  Colonel  Edgerton,  Phil  likewise  received  their 
individual  assurance  that  he  would  regret  placing  his  invest- 
ment without  first  gaining  their  approval.  Edith  was  very 
quiet  and  thoughtful,  and  Phil  was  both  hurt  and  indignant. 
It  pained  him  deeply  to  be  treated  as  though  he  were  in- 
capable of  managing  his  own  affairs,  and  if  he  had  had 
more  leisure  for  thought  he  would  have  been  quite  depressed 
and  unhappy,  but  he  was  extremely  busy. 

In  the  customary  mysterious  way  it  was  noised  abroad 
that  he  was  on  the  watch  for  attractive  investments,  and 
that  he  had  untold  millions  in  cold  cash.  This  brought  him 
into  violent  contact  with  affairs  and  he  certainly  was  in  a 
position  to  appreciate  the  "  privileges  and  responsibilities  of 
true  citizenship."  He  was  beset  by  promoters  of  every  de- 
scription until  in  desperation  he  stole  off  to  Asbury  Park 
for  a  vacation. 

He  rightly  calculated  that  this  would  be  the  last  place  in 
which  those  who  knew  him  would  think  of  looking,  and  he 
wanted  to  be  alone.  He  lived  quietly  at  one  of  the  smaller 
hotels  and  was  surprised  to  find  how  pleasant  complete  rest 
was  to  one  weary  of  the  cares  of  business.  He  bathed  in 
the  surf,  attended  the  band  concerts,  and  relaxed.  On  the 
fourth  day  he  began  to  notice  a  certain  drag  to  the  hours, 
and  to  long  for  some  sort  of  excitement,  sport  or  business, 
it  mattered  little  which. 


88          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

On  the  evening  of  his  eighth  day  he  was  seated  on  the 
piazza  feeling  very  much  bored.  Phil  very  rarely  took  an 
invoice  and  therefore  was  much  surprised  to  discover  at 
rare  intervals  that  he  was  possessed  of  unsuspected  feelings, 
capable  of  wielding  a  great  influence  over  him.  He  usually 
regarded  himself  as  absolutely  independent,  and  now  that 
his  own  resources  had  proved  unequal  to  the  task  of  buoy- 
ing him  up,  he  was  still  unable  to  perceive  how  entirely  de- 
pendent he  was  upon  outside  sources.  He  really  thought 
that  the  delightful  climate  of  Asbury  Park  did  not  agree 
with  him,  and  his  expression  was  quite  doleful  as  he  en- 
deavored to  imagine  symptoms  of  ill  health. 

A  chance  word  from  a  couple  of  men  earnestly  engaged 
in  a  low-toned  conversation  near  him  made  him  instantly 
alert,  and  he  turned  his  head  to  one  side  in  order  to  glean 
further  information.  It  is  a  strange  thing  that  we  feel  no 
shame  in  doing  a  host  of  things  the  detection  of  which  would 
sting  our  cheeks  with  burning  blushes.  Vanity  certainly 
does  more  for  civilization  than  conscience  does. 

The  men  were  talking  of  a  gold  mine,  a  wonderful  mine 
which  the  brother-in-law  of  one  of  them  had  discovered 
in  Colorado.  Situated  in  the  very  center  of  mines  which 
were  paying  fabulous  dividends  was  a  plot  of  ground  which 
had  not  been  claimed.  The  owners  of  the  developed  mines 
thought  it  had  been  properly  entered  with  the  rest  of  their 
holdings;  but  the  brother-in-law,  who  was  superintendent 
of  one  of  the  mines,  had  stumbled  upon  the  oversight  quite 
by  accident,  and  as  he  felt  ethical  qualms  against  using  in- 
formation, which  he  had  learned  as  an  agent  of  his  em- 
ployers, to  take  away  a  valuable  piece  of  property  which 
they  supposed  belonged  legally  to  them,  he  had  turned  the 
matter  over  to  his  brother-in-law,  who  had  filed  the  claim, 


A    GENERAL    MELEE  89 

run  a  shaft  almost  to  the  big  vein  of  ore,  and  had  then  un- 
fortunately found  himself  without  funds.  The  company 
owning  the  mine  already  developed,  the  Honor  Bright,  were 
willing  to  buy  him  out  at  a  large  price ;  but  his  brother-in- 
law,  who  was,  of  course,  his  silent  partner,  insisted  that 
their  claim,  the  Rosy  Dawn,  was  worth  millions  and  that 
the  proper  thing  to  do  was  to  form  a  company  and  work 
the  mine  themselves. 

This  was  what  he  was  then  doing,  and  the  man  to  whom 
he  was  making  his  explanation  was  a  very  close  relative 
and  also  a  very  close  friend.  It  was  to  be  kept  in  the  fam- 
ily if  possible,  although  they  did  not  possess  collectively 
quite  enough  to  push  the  development  as  rapidly  as  its  cer- 
tainty warranted.  Their  voices  were  kept  at  a  low  tone,  but 
occasionally  in  their  enthusiasm,  some  peculiarly  attractive 
sum  would  be  voiced  with  a  triumphant  ring  which  had  an 
electric  effect  upon  Phil,  and  made  him  ready  to  swear  that 
there  was  no  locality  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  where  a 
business  man  could  be  bored. 

He  tried  to  devise  a  way  to  intrude  upon  their  conversa- 
tion, but  no  decent  one  suggesting  itself,  he  heaved  a 
somber  sigh.  At  the  sound  the  two  men  turned  in  surprise, 
and  then  they  whispered  together  for  a  moment.  Finally, 
the  man  who  had  been  explaining  the  proposition  arose  and 
diffidently  approached  Phil. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  said,  frankly  paving  the  way  for 
frankness ;  "  but  did  you  happen  to  overhear  our  conversa- 
tion?" 

"  I  must  confess1,"  said  Phil  with  his  conscience 
sinking  to  about  the  level  it  would  have  taken  if  he  had 
just  landed  a  fine  salmon  on  the  preserve  of  a  man  who 
did  not  approve  of  fishing,  "  that  I  have  caught  a  chance 


90          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

word  here  and  there  which  has  given  me  a  very  fair  esti- 
mate of  it." 

"  I  'm  sorry,"  said  the  man  simply,  and  then  he  turned 
and  joined  his  companion.  They  walked  to  the  far  end  of 
the  porch  and  Phil  watched  them  discuss  the  situation 
earnestly. 

Presently  they  returned  and,  after  having  drawn  their 
chairs  close  to  Phil's,  the  one  who  had  been  explaining  the 
proposition  grinned  ruefully  and  said :  "  About  all  there  is 
to  do  about  it,  is  to  throw  ourselves  on  your  mercy. 
Would  there  be  any  inducement  we  could  offer  to  assure 
your  silence  on  what  you  have  overheard?  You  are  an 
utter  stranger  to  us,  you  understand,  and  we  cannot  tell 
but  what  you  may  have  interests  out  that  way  yourself." 

Phil  was  thinking  rapidly:  if  the  men  had  merely  asked 
him  as  one  gentleman  to  another,  to  faithfully  observe  the 
gentleman's  code  in  the  matter  of  overheard  secrets,  and 
to  fully  appreciate  the  delicate  position  of  their  relative,  the 
mine  superintendent,  why,  Phil  would  have  acquiesced  like 
a  gentleman  —  but  to  offer  him  an  inducement  was  to  throw 
an  entirely  different  switch,  and  he  considered  the  matter 
strictly  as  a  business  man. 

"  It  would  depend  upon  the  inducement  you  are  in  a 
position  to  offer,"  he  answered  coldly. 

This  seemed  to  congeal  the  warmth  of  the  man  with 
the  brother-in-law,  and  he  sat  in  silence  for  several  mo- 
ments. "  My  name  is  Swallow,"  he  said  at  last,  "  and  this 
is  my  cousin,  Mr.  Flint."  Phil  bowed  without  voicing  his 
own  name.  "  I  think  that  we  can  take  it  upon  ourselves  to 
make  you  a  small  cash  offer,  or  what  would  perhaps  be 
better,  a  little  block  of  stock  from  the  reserve." 

Phil  smiled.     "  That  would  be  like  bribing  a  man  not  to 


A    GENERAL    MELEE  91 

play  poker  by  offering  him  the  privileges  of  tiddle-de-winks. 
Now,  I  admit  that  you  have  aroused  my  curiosity  in  this 
matter,  and  if  the  proposition  is  as  you  state  it,  I  want  a 
large  block  of  the  stock.  I  still  have  a  little  money  which 
needs  investing,  and  I  am  sure  to  investigate  your  claim, 
and  if  it  is  as  you  present  it,  I  am  going  to  get  into  it  at 
the  right  figure." 

"  We  can't  very  well  do  that,"  demurred  Swallow. 

"  You  see  we  want  to  keep  it  a  family  affair,"  added 
Flint. 

"  While,  on  the  other  hand,  I  must  place  my  money  where 
it  will  earn  large  dividends,"  objected  Phil. 

"Sort  of  a  dead-lock,  isn't  it?"  laughed  Swallow. 

"  I  don't  know,"  mused  Flint  aloud.  "  You  could  not  do 
us  much  damage,  any  way." 

"  Then  everything  is  all  right  and  you  can  resume  your 
conversation  just  where  you  left  off  while  I  go  up  and  pack 
for  a  western  jaunt,"  bluffed  Phil. 

"  Oh,  I  '11  concede  that  you  could  make  us  a  lot  of 
bother,"  admitted  Swallow  candidly.  "  If  it  would  get  out 
that  my  brother-in-law  had  slipped  this  over  on  the  Honor 
Bright  people  it  would  kill  him  out  in  that  country  and  he 
is  worth  more  to  us  as  superintendent  of  the  other  mine 
than  he  would  be  giving  all  his  attention  to  the  Honor 
Bright." 

"  That  is  perfectly  natural,"  continued  Flint.  "  You 
see  .  .  ." 

This  is  the  spiral  they  traveled,  the  two  gentlemen,  hav- 
ing the  pig  in  the  poke,  conscientiously  explained  to  Phil 
reason  after  reason  why  he  should  not  invest,  and  hinted 
reason  after  reason  why  he  should.  As  Phil  grew  keener 
on  the  trail,  they  cautioned  him  to  be  cool  and  deliberate, 


92          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

explained  to  him  fully  the  improved  methods  for  fleecing  a 
lamb  over  those  which  had  flourished  during  the  old,  jovial, 
salting  days.  They  showed  Phil  maps  which  perfectly  il- 
lustrated how  natural  and  simple  it  had  been  for  the  larger 
company  to  overlook  the  small,  gold-laden  nest  where  the 
Rosy  Dawn  was  hiding,  and  then  told  him  that  a  mining 
engineer  could  make  such  a  map  out  of  his  imagination, 
and  that  Phil  owed  it  to  himself  to  investigate.  They  in- 
cidentally dropped  the  information  that  another  capitalist, 
and  one  thoroughly  seasoned,  had  practically  agreed  to 
finance  it  the  minute  they  were  ready  to  take  in  an  outsider, 
and  then  advised  Phil  to  put  his  money  into  a  business  with 
which  he  was  familiar. 

They  eventually  adjourned  to  Phil's  room,  and  there  the 
conference  continued  throughout  the  night.  All  three  left 
on  the  early  morning  train  for  New  York  where  the  papers 
were  drawn  which  permitted  Phil  to  turn  over  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars  and  become  the  holder  of  eight  hundred 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  stock  in  the  Rosy  Dawn  mine. 
It  took  several  days  to  complete  the  arrangements,  and  the 
only  .part  which  Nathan  Meyer  took  was  in  providing  the 
two  hundred  thousand. 

After  this  was  done,  Phil  breathed  easier. 

But  he  was  not  one  to  rest  when  once  he  had  started  into 
a  new  game.  Nathan  had  informed  him  that- he  had  done 
a  little  better  than  he  expected  on  such  short  notice,  and 
that  Phil  still  had  three  hundred  thousand  to  invest. 
Nathan  was  very  reserved,  but  not  at  all  cold,  and  Phil  felt 
this  keenly.  It  made  him  feel  a  bit  unsatisfied  with  him- 
self ;  but  he  could  not  explain  why,  and  so  he  shrugged  his 
shoulders  and  dropped  around  to  his  club  to  freshen  up 
on  social  intercourse,  the  pleasing  flavor  of  which  he  had 


A    GENERAL    MEL^E  93 

sadly  missed  of  late,  without  quite  realizing  it.  This  reach- 
ing out  of  our  roots  into  the  soil  and  this  reaching  out  of 
our  leaves  into  the  air,  is  what  we  call  life,  and  very  few 
of  us  realize  the  difference  between  roots  and  leaves. 

It  was  the  middle  of  August  and  none  of  Phil's  cronies 
were  at  the  club.  He  dropped  into  an  easy  chair  and 
looked  out  upon  the  avenue  sadly.  It,  also,  had  but  a 
drooping  suggestion  of  its  familiar  gaiety,  and  Phil  sighed. 
It  was  an  empty  world:  he  fully  sympathized  with  Alex- 
ander. 

A  man  came  in  and  seated  himself  at  a  table  some  dis- 
tance from  Phil.  He  drew  a  lot  of  letters  and  clippings 
from  his  pocket  and  after  reading  several  telegrams,  pro- 
ceeded to  make  some  entries  in  a  notebook.  Phil  glanced 
at  him  but  failing  at  recognition,  turned  to  criticise  once 
more  his  fellows  upon  the  avenue. 

He  was  interrupted  in  this  by  the  man  at  the  table  who 
shut  his  notebook  with  a  snap,  gave  an  incoherent  expres- 
sion of  satisfaction,  and  rising,  sauntered  over  to  Phil's 
window. 

He  was  a  slender  man  of  medium  stature;  his  face -was 
drawn  into  a  frown  of  concentrated  consideration.  It  was 
a  cold  face,  an  alert  face,  a  brooding  face,  as  though  it  had 
fed  for  a  century  upon  an  exclusive  diet  of  currency.  The 
man's  clothing  was  not  stylish  and  yet  it  suggested 
prosperity.  Altogether,  he  seemed  to  be  a  man  accustomed 
to  paying  by  check  without  having  his  checks  put  to  an  em- 
barrassing scrutiny. 

Presently  his  eyes  met  Phil's,  and  held  them  for  a  moment. 
"  Phil  Lytton,  is  n't  it  ?  "  he  asked  easily. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Phil  without  warmth ;  "  but  you  must  ex- 
cuse me  —  I  can't  quite  recall  your  name." 


94         THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  I  was  boning  my  way  through  while  you  were  eating  at 
the  training  table  or  a  frat  house.  Scranton  is  my  name, 
I.  C.  Scranton." 

"  Glad  to  meet  you,"  said  Phil,  his  face  lighting.  "  Sit 
down  and  have  a  little  drink.  I  'm  as  lonesome  as  a  lost 
pup." 

"  I  don't  drink,"  said  Scranton,  seating  himself,  "  or 
smoke  either,"  as  Phil  offered  his  case.  "  I  've  had  to 
dig  from  my  youth  and  I  need  all  the  nerve  force  I  can 
get." 

Phil  looked  at  the  gaunt  form  of  the  speaker.  "  Have 
you  any  special  diet  ?  "  he  asked  gravely. 

"  Could  n't  live  at  all,  otherwise,"  answered  Scranton. 

"  Some  day,"  confided  Phil,  "  I  am  going  to  see  a  pink 
faced  chap  with  a  laugh  beaming  from  his  eyes,  and  not 
a  single  wrinkle  to  balance  his  dimples,  and  I  am  going  to 
ask  him  politely  if  he  is  on  a  special  diet,  and  he  is  going 
to  say  that  he  is  —  and  I  am  going  to  fall  dead." 

"  And  some  day,"  responded  Scranton  in  an  equally  even 
tone,  "  I  am  going  to  go  to  the  fat  stock  show ;  and  I  shall 
ask  the  blue  ribbon  steer  if  he  regards  protein,  or  starch, 
as  the  more  valuable  food  element,  and  he  will  lick  his 
nose  and  attempt  to  swallow  another  mouthful  of  chopped 
feed  —  and  a  week  later  I  '11  have  one  of  his  porterhouse 
steaks  braised  according  to  Dr.  Salisbury." 

Phil  laughed  heartily.  "Do  you  know,  Scranton,  that 
I  have  n't  had  anyone  come  back  at  me  like  that  for  weeks, 
and  it  was  just  what  I  needed." 

"  It  is  just  what  a  lot  of  you  healthy  ones  need,"  re- 
sponded Scranton,  his  face  disintegrating  into  unaccus- 
tomed lines  of  mirth.  "  The  world  has  always  learned 
from  the  weak,  after  first  having  bravely  roasted  them  for 


A   GENERAL   ME  LEE  95 

being  cranks.  It  was  undoubtedly  a  weak  cave  man  who 
discovered  the  benefit  of  lever  and  roller  and  made  use  of 
them  while  his  stronger  fellows  stood  around  and  grunted 
incoherent  jokes.  It  was  a  man  with  weak  vocal  organs 
who  found  grunting  too  tiresome  to  express  his  emotions, 
and  so  invented  speech;  and  all  the  way  along  it  has  been 
the  man  who  has  first  had  to  overcome  his  own  defi- 
ciencies, who  has  afterward  overcome  circumstances." 

"  And  thus  endeth  the  first  lesson,"  added  Phil  respect- 
fully. "  There  is  a  lot  in  what  you  suggest,  Scranton. 
Everything  has  been  so  easy  for  me  that  I  have  browsed 
along  like  a  fat  buffalo,  until  it  suddenly  dawned  upon  me 
that  I  was  several  decades  behind  the  times ;  and  I  am  now 
attempting  to  catch  up." 

Scranton  smiled  cynically.  "  You  don't  show  the  strain 
much  as  yet,"  he  said ;  "  but  I  had  a  little  talk  with  Morton 
the  other  day  and  he  told  me  that  you  had  gone  into  that 
deal  of  his.  He  did  not  state  the  amount,  but  intimated 
that  it  was  rather  a  large  one." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  it?  "  asked  Phil. 

"  Oh,  it  is  not  my  kind  of  gambling." 

"What  is  your  kind?" 

"  Cotton." 

"  Cotton  ?     How  do  you  have  any  fun  out  of  cotton  ?  " 

"  It  is  n't  exactly  fun  the  way  I  play  it,"  rejoined  Scran- 
ton with  a  smile.  "  You  see,  I  started  out  as  clerk  to  old 
Tightfist  Meridan,  a  wonderful  man.  I  stayed  there  doing 
two  men's  work  until  I  learned  many  of  his  methods. 
Then  I  happened  to  overhear  a  tip,  put  in  what  I  had  saved, 
drew  out  five  times  as  much,  and  have  since  been  steering 
my  own  boat.  I  happened  to  do  Tom  Norton  a  service, 
and  he  always  drops  me  a  little  news  on  cotton." 


96          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"Norton?"  repeated  Phil  with  interest  "Well,  if  you 
are  trailing  him  you  must  be  pretty  well  to  the  good." 

"  I  am  pretty  well  to  the  good,  considering  my  start ;  but 
I  do  not  trail  anyone.  I  have  a  complicated  system  of  my 
own  which  I  am  perfecting  and  some  day  I  expect  to  go  on 
over  Tom  Norton." 

There  was  a  faraway  light  in  Scranton's  calm  gray  eyes 
as  he  said  this  which  aroused  Phil's  envy.  "  Do  you  buy 
the  actual  cotton,  or  only  margins  ?  "  he  asked. 

Scranton  smiled.     "  Margins,"  he  answered  shortly. 

From  this  on  Phil  plied  him  with  questions  until  at  last 
Scranton  was  forced  to  tear  himself  away,  leaving  Phil 
thoroughly  convinced  that  the  greatest  sport  in  the  world 
was  buying  cotton  on  margins.  "  Five  cents  a  point,"  he 
mused  to  himself.  "  Why,  it  sounds  as  cheap  as  riding  on 
the  elevated ;  but  to-morrow  I  'm  going  to  take  a  little  whirl 
at  it  and  see  if  I  get  any  new  sensations.  Scranton  says 
that  all  beginners  should  be  bears,  and  I  shall  buy  to  sell. 
Rubber  plants,  gold  mines,  Public  and  Domestic  Service 
companies  are  all  future  prospects;  but  as  Scranton  says, 
Cotton  is  going  up  and  down  all  the  time,  and  a  fellow  does 
not  have  to  sit  around  very  long  to  get  action.  Action  is 
what  I  want,  action  is  what  I  need,  and  I  shall  get  action  in 
cotton  to-morrow." 


CHAPTER  NINE 

AN    UNEXPECTED   THRUST 

IF  woman  fully  realized  her  power,  she  would  make  this 
a  better  world  —  and,  incidentally,  a  much  more  perplex- 
ing one  for  its  male  inhabitants. 

Edith  Hampton  was  filled  to  the  brim  with  a  restless 
energy,  a  desire  to  do  things,  a  courage  to  face  serious 
questions,  and  an  active  mind  which  found  much  of  its 
delight  in  studying  them ;  but  with  all  that  she  was  fem- 
inine. After  having  reached  the  distinguishing  borders  of 
her  own  sphere,  she  felt  dizzy  as  she  looked  .across  the 
gap  which  divided  her  from  the  turmoil  and  strife  of  the 
larger  life.  Instinctively  she  felt  that  this  gap  should  be 
bridged  by  some  coarse-grained,  unsensitive  material,  such, 
for  instance,  as  a  man. 

She  had  used  the  man  most  available  for  a  bridge,  and 
now  she  felt  hurt  and  abused  because  the  bridge  refused  to 
be  merely  an  inanimate  convenience,  because  the  bridge  ap- 
peared to  be  taking  more  interest  in  the  fascinating  affairs 
which  took  place  entirely  outside  her  personality,  instead 
of,  as  formerly,  boring  her  by  a  blissful  content  in  herself 
as  the  real  center  of  the  universe.  Woman  has  frequently 
been  pained  at  the  similarity  of  a  man  to  a  cake  when 
she  has  tried  to  both  use  and  keep  him. 

She  only  saw   Phil  at  rare  intervals  now  and  he  was 

97 


98          THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

moody,  engrossed  in  problems,  absent-minded,  altogether 
unappreciative ;  and  quite  naturally  she  resented  this,  pre- 
tended not  to  care,  refused  to  admit  to  herself  that  he 
was  perfectly  consistent,  and  hoped  that  he  would  come 
to  her,  confess  that  after  all  she  was  the  one  thing  of 
importance,  and  that  he  could  not  live  without  her.  She 
hoped  that  he  would  fail,  and  that  she  would  be  able  to 
help  him ;  and  yet  she  did  not  want  him  to  fail ;  she  wanted 
him  to  succeed,  to  rise  to  a  commanding  position,  and  then 
to  find  himself  more  lonely  without  her  than  ever  before. 
She  lay  awake  at  night  trying  to  make  her  own  position 
logical  and  found  herself  in  the  disturbing  role  of  a  battle- 
field wherein  her  various  personalities  met  and  warred  for 
supremacy.  Her  face  showed  all  this  like  a  veritable 
traitor;  but  Phil,  the  mean  thing,  did  not  notice. 

He  was  having  an  affair  with  a  dame  familiarly  called 
King  Cotton,  which  was  quite  disrespectful  for,  in  spite  of 
her  regal  disregard  for  individuals,  her  coquetry,  her 
whims,  and  her  wayward  fancies  were  all  typically  fem- 
inine. At  times  Edith  even  feared  she  was  a  woman  of 
flesh  and  blood,  so  thoroughly  had  she  taken  her  place  in 
Phil's  mind. 

Poor  Colonel  Edgerton  had  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  com- 
plication. When  any  sort  of  object,  or  doom,  falls,  it  alights 
upon  the  man  who  happens  to  be  under  it ;  and  the  Colonel 
happened  to  be  under  Edith's  displeasure,  although  he  was 
not  in  the  least  responsible  for  it.  He  had  pointedly  dis- 
approved of  Phil's  course,  and  it  aroused  his  righteous 
wrath  to  be  chided  by  Edith  because  Phil  had  insisted  upon 
doing,  against  both  his  own  and  the  Colonel's  wishes,  ex- 
actly what  Edith  had  wanted  him  to  do.  In  his  simple, 
diffident,  courtly  way,  the  Colonel  stormed  about  the  situa- 


AN    UNEXPECTED    THRUST    99 

tion  at  home,  and  pestered  Phil  to  reform  whenever  they 
happened  to  meet. 

This  made  Phil  indignant  and  he  refused  to  confide  in 
the  Colonel  who  carried  his  injured  feelings  to  Nathan 
Meyer  and  scolded  him  for  permitting  Phil  to  do  what  he 
had  a  perfect  right  to  do.  Nathan,  in  turn,  defended  his 
own  position,  but  promised  to  do  all  he  could  to  save  Phil 
from  himself  as  soon  as  the  opportunity  presented  itself. 
He  furthermore  confided  to  the  Colonel  that  nearly  Phil's 
entire  fortune  had  passed  into  his  own  control,  and  that 
he,  Nathan,  did  not  look  with  favor  upon  the  disposition 
of  it. 

As  for  Phil,  himself:  he  was  making  disturbing  dis- 
coveries in  the  might  of  the  mi-nute.  Five  cents  a  point 
had  sounded  so  childishly  trivial,  and  he, had  not  known 
the  difference  between  a  bale  and  a  bat  when  he  had 
started  to  interest  himself  in  cotton.  He  started  by  sell- 
ing ten  thousand  bales,  and  then  grew  ashamed  of  his 
discretion,  and  sold  twenty  thousand  more.  It  gave  him 
an  odd  sensation,  a  slightly  ridiculous  sensation  to  sell 
something  which  he  did  not  own ;  and  he  tried  to  balance 
this  by  buying  ten  thousand  bushels  of  wheat.  Then  he 
hired  one  of  the  Wilson  Public  Service  cars,  in  charge  of 
a  new  chauffeur,  and  took  a  solitary  ride  just  to  complete 
an  altogether  unusual  situation  —  a  man  who  had  just  sold 
what  he  did  not  own,  and  bought  what  he  did  not  want, 
paying  to  ride  in  a  car  which  belonged  to  himself.  He 
thoroughly  enjoyed  the  ride. 

Cotton  fell  and  wheat  rose,  and  Phil  permitted  his  cau- 
tion to  go  with  the  cotton  while  his  spirits  joined  the  wheat. 
He  closed  his  deals  and  bought  and  sold  again,  reversing 
his  former  attitudes  toward  the  commodities,  just  to  keep 


ioo       THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

in  the  game,  and  permit  the  brokers  to  make  a  little  some- 
thing so  that  they  could  share  in  his  enjoyment;  and, 
strange  to  say,  the  market  switched  a  few  hours  after  he 
did,  and  men  said  one  to  another  that  young  Lytton  was 
getting  hunches.  Phil  denied  this  regretfully,  for  in  his 
new  environment,  the  getter  of  hunches  was  a  man  of 
quality;  but  his  denial  was  not  taken  seriously  and  he 
found  men  whom  he  had  supposed  to  be  in  touch  with 
every  movement,  showing  him  little  attentions  and  gently 
seeking  to  extract  private  information  which  would  have 
been  greatly  treasured  if  he  had  only  possessed  it. 

Scranton  passed  him  one  day  with  an  excited  expres- 
sion in  his  usually  inscrutable  face.  "  Buying,  or  selling?" 
called  Phil  genially. 

Scranton  stopped  and  turned  with  a  scowl  upon  his  face, 
but  at  sight  of  Phil  it  vanished.  "  Hello,  Lytton,"  he  said 
good-naturedly.  "  I  understand  that  you  are  something 
of  a  wizard,  yourself.  Which  are  you  doing?" 

"  I  am  going  to  buy  wheat  and  sell  cotton  again,"  re- 
plied Phil  on  the  spur  of  the  moment. 

Scranton  drew  his  eyelids  close  in  a  puzzled  expression. 
"  Where  do  you  get  the  tips,  anyway  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  I  have  a  system,"  laughed  Phil. 

"  Well,"  said  Scranton  slowly,  "  I  don't  know  anything 
at  all  about  wheat  and  never  touch  it;  but  don't  hang  on 
to  yoiw  cotton  deal  this  time.  It  is  going  to  whirl  with  a 
jerk.  And  above  all  things,  keep  this  mum,  or  I  '11  camp  on 
your  trail  until  I  get  you." 

Phil  had  nearly  four  hundred  thousand  to  invest,  and  he 
sold  forty  thousand  bales  of  cotton  through  a  former 
college  friend,  Carl  Morgan,  putting  up  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars  on  a  hundred  point  margin,  and  lightly 


AN    UNEXPECTED    THRUST     101 

telling  Morgan  not  to  close  the  deal  without  orders ; 
but  if  it  jumped  above  a  hundred  points  to  cover  and  draw 
on  him  for  further  funds.  This  sounded  very  knowing 
to  Phil  and  put  him  in  a  pleasant  humor.  His  offhand 
methods  made  a  profound  impression,  and  Phil  went  home 
that  evening  in  a  very  contented  frame  of  mind. 

Hereford  received  him  with  chilly  servility,  and  so  pro- 
nounced was  this  that  Phil  decided  to  have  an  understand- 
ing. As  he  recalled  Hereford's  demeanor  for  the  past  few 
weeks,  he  was  aware  that  there  had  been  a  growing  spirit 
of  dissatisfaction  in  the  many  little  services  behind  which 
his  man  hid  his  individuality.  Phil  had  been  so  intent 
upon  his  own  novel  experiences  that  he  had  noticed  this 
but  dimly  in  its  evolution;  yet  now  the  accumulated  mass 
loomed  ominously,  and  Phil  drew  himself  up,  looked  down 
upon  his  man  •  for  a  moment,  and  said  gravely,  "  Here- 
ford, what  has  been  wrong  with  you  lately?  I  have  over- 
looked a  great  deal  in  the  past  few  weeks,  but  you  seem 
to  be  getting  more  and  more  careless,  and  I  should  like  to 
know  what  is  wrong  and  how  long  it  is  to  continue." 

One  great  reason  at  the  bottom  of  our  domestic  service 
trouble,  is  the  fact  that  employers  are  inclined  to  dodge 
a  square  facing  of  difficulties.  Instead  of  calling  the  cook 
into  the  parlor,  addressing  her  calmly  by  name,  and  stat- 
ing her  grievance  in  reasonable  terms  and  with  compre- 
hensive, yet  conservative,  frankness,  a  lady  is  likely  to 
invade  the  kitchen,  the  cook's  own  realm,  and  begin  an  im- 
personal harangue  with  the  irritating  statement,  "  Well, 
if  I  did  not  have  sense  enough  to  .  .  ." 

This  putting  herself  upon  equal  terms  with  her  servant 
denotes  a  love  of  fair  sport,  but  is  not  the  easiest  method 
of  conducting  a  pleasant  household.  The  employer  is  held 


102        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

up  by  class  distinctions,  the  servant  held  down  by  class 
distinctions;  when  conditions  are  made  a  mere  matter  of 
personality,  the  comparison  is  not  invariably  odious  to  the 
servant.  One  accident  of  birth  may  have  given  her  greater 
poise  than  her  employer,  another  accident  of  birth  may 
have  given  her  a  more  abusive  vocabulary;  therefore,  it  is 
well  to  keep  accidents  of  birth  in  mind  and  get  all  the  help 
possible  from  the  traditions  of  class. 

The  change  of  sex  is  purposely  made  in  the  foregoing 
inexcusable  interruption,  because  the  feminine  is  inclined 
to  rush  in  where  the  masculine  fears  to  tread. 

Hereford's  fingers  fidgeted  and  his  eyes  shifted.  It  had 
been  years  since  his  conduct  had  been  worthy  of  reproach, 
and  two  kinds  of  pride  were  struggling  within  his  breast, 
pride  in  his  work  and  pride  in  his  manhood.  The  pride 
in  his  work  was  of  long  standing,  the  pride  in  his  man- 
hood was  new,  untried,  diffident  "  I  think  I  shall  have  to 
leave  your  service,  sir,"  he  said  at  last. 

Phil  slowly  seated  himself  in  an  ancient  chair,  heavily 
carved  and  not  at  all  adapted  to  such  a  purpose.  He 
lighted  a  cigarette,  blew  a  ring,  and  said  blandly,  "  I  should 
have  preferred  your  giving  formal  notice  instead  of  slurring 
your  duties  until  it  became  necessary  for  me  to  speak  of  it. 
I  don't  think  I  have  quite  deserved  this,  Hereford.  Is 
there  any  special  reason  for  your  leaving  my  employ  ?  " 

Hereford  was  most  unhappy.  He  had  not  looked  at 
this  phase  of  the  question  and  his  delicately  adjusted  con- 
science reproached  him  with  conduct  unbecoming  a  gentle- 
man and  a  valet.  "  I  'm  sorry,  sir,"  he  began  contritely. 
"  It  never  occurred  to  me,  sir,  to  irritate  you  intentional. 
I — "  Hereford  paused  and  his  facial  expression  under- 
went a  subtile  change ;  he  dropped  his  tone  of  repentance, 


AN    UNEXPECTED    THRUST     103 

and  suddenly  said  with  reproachful  earnestness :  "  But 
Wilson,  sir,  'e  's  getting  to  'ave  airs  with  me ! " 

"  Why  is  this  ?  What  right  has  Wilson  to  have  airs  with 
you  ?  "  asked  Phil,  entirely  without  patronage  or  ridicule. 

Have  you  seen  a  dog  who  was  unjustly  scolded  on  cir- 
cumstantial evidence,  and  then,  when  the  case  was  made 
clear,  showered  with  apologies  and  sympathy?  Well,  that 
was  Hereford.  His  eyes  grew  large  and  he  winked  them 
rapidly;  it  would  have  been  perfectly  in  keeping  if  a  pink 
tongue  had  moistened  his  upper  lip  with  that  peculiar  unc- 
tion typical  of  the  consciously  virtuous  canine. 

"  Well,  sir,  ever  since  'e  'as  been  in  partnership  with  you, 
'e  'as  raised  'is  eyebrows  at  me,  and  strutted." 

"  Why  don't  you  raise  your  eyebrows  at  him  and  strut 
back?"  asked  Phil.  "You  are  just  as  much  in  partner- 
ship with  me  as  Wilson  is.  Both  companies  are  incorpo- 
rated in  New  Jersey;  you  are  president  of  one,  just  as  he 
is  of  the  other,  and  I  have  put  the  same  amount  into 
each." 

Hereford  was  dazed.  He  stared  at  Phil  a  moment,  and 
then  shook  his  head.  "  No,  sir,  you  probably  meant  to  do 
it,  sir,  but  it  slipped  your  mind.  You  'ad  me  sign  some 
sort  of  papers,  but  that  was  all." 

"What?"  demanded  Phil.  "Why,  Hereford,  what  is 
the  matter  with  you?  We  went  into  this  thoroughly:  I 
found  that  I  required  less  of  your  services  since  entering 
business  than  I  had  before,  and  told  you  to  improve  your 
added  opportunities  by  organizing  the  Hereford  Domestic 
Service  Company."  Hereford  nodded.  "  And  I  gave 
you  a  check  for  a  hundred  thousand  dollars  as  my  share 
of  the  capital." 

Hereford  shook  his  head  in  emphatic  denial.     The  two 


io4        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

men  looked  into  each  other's  eyes.  "  I  certainly  did,"  in- 
sisted Phil. 

Hereford  shook  his  head  in  sorrowful  silence.  Phil  took 
his  check  book  from  his  pocket  and  examined  the  stubs. 
"  Here  it  is,"  he  cried  triumphantly.  "  I  wrote  it  over 
three  weeks  ago.  Whatever  did  you  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  I  never  saw  it,  sir.  Upon  my  word  I  never  did ! " 
Hereford's  face  was  white. 

"  Well,  don't  get  hysterical,  Hereford.  A  check  is 
nothing  but  a  nonsensical  bit  of  paper  until  it  is  cashed, 
and  no  one  could  cash  it  but  you ;  so  that  there  is  nothing 
to  worry  over.  If  we  do  not  find  it  shortly,  we  '11  stop 
payment  on  it  and  draw  another  one  —  but  I  would  like 
to  know  what  became  of  it,  just  for  curiosity.  I  don't  feel 
like  going  out  to  dinner  to-night;  could  you  fix  me  up  a 
little  lunch?" 

"  Certainly,  sir,  right  away,"  replied  the  relieved  Here- 
ford as  he  hastened  to  the  kitchen. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  Phil  arising  and  walking  toward  the 
mantel,  "  I  shall  light  a  pipe  and  force  my  memory  to  dig 
up  and  return  the  incidents  surrounding  the  making  of  that 
check." 

He  selected  a  meerschaum,  dark  and  rich  as  the  result 
of  tender  solicitude,  and  half  mechanically  he  lifted  the 
gargoyle  which  served  as  the  lid  to  his  tobacco  jar.  Phil 
did  not  often  smoke  in  this  room,  his  front  one,  and  as 
his  fingers  met  a  bit  of  paper  instead  of  tobacco,  he  drew 
it  forth  in  surprise.  It  was  the  missing  check,  and  in- 
stantly all  the  circumstances  flashed  before  him.  He  had 
found  this  particular  tobacco  jar  empty  on  the  night  he 
drew  the  check,  and  thought  he  would  teach  Hereford  a 
lesson  by  putting  the  check  there  and  making  him  await  its 


AN    UNEXPECTED   THRUST     105 

benefits  until  his  dull  sense  of  duty  aroused  him  to  a  more 
radical  thoroughness. 

"  Hereford,"  he  called  after  he  had  replaced  the  check 
and  lid. 

Hereford  entered,  his  eyes  big  with  questioning,  and 
saw  his  employer  standing  very  grim  and  upright  and  hold- 
ing a  pipe  at  a  menacing  angle. 

"When  did  you  last  fill  this  tobacco  jar?"  demanded 
Phil. 

"  I  don't  know,  sir.  You  very  rarely  use  it,  and  I  'ave 
overlooked  it  completely  lately.  I  'm  very  sorry,  sir." 

"  Open  it,"  commanded  Phil  dramatically. 

Hereford  obeyed,  looked  into  the  jar,  drew  forth  the 
check,  examined  it,  turned  red,  turned  pale,  examined  his 
employer's  face  and  then  let  his  eyes  fall  once  more  to  the 
bit  of  paper  in  his  hand.  "  I  don't  deserve  it,  sir,"  he  stam- 
mered huskily,  handing  the  check  to  Phil.  "  If  I  'm 
careless  in  my  work  already,  I  certainly  am  not  fit  to  be 
your  steward  over  a  fortune  like  this." 

"  Put  it  in  your  pocket,  Hereford,"  said  Phil  largely,  as 
he  waved  his  hand  in  an  airy  sweep.  "  We  all  make  mis- 
takes once  in  a  while,  and  this  will  make  you  all  the  more 
careful  in  the  future.  Now,  if  I  were  you,  I  should  not 
gloat  over  Wilson  until  your  own  plans  are  fairly  at  work. 
This  will  let  him  know  that  you  are  a  doer,  not  a  boaster, 
and  he  will  never  know  exactly  what  cards  you  have  buried 
—  which  is  a  good  thing  in  business." 

"  I  think  you  can  trust  me  in  the  future,  sir,"  was  all  the 
reply  Hereford  could  make  as  he  left  the  room,  humbled 
as  we  all  are  by  frank  and  hearty  magnanimity. 

Phil  smiled  as  he  recalled  that  Hereford  had  entirely 
forgotten  the  absence  of  the  tobacco  which  was  the  im- 


io6        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

portant  part  of  the  affair  after  all.  "  Well,  now  that  I 
have  found  the  check  it  is  not  necessary  to  smoke  anyway," 
he  said  philosophically. 

As  soon  as  he  had  dined,  Phil  removed  his  clothing,  put 
on  his  pajamas  and  bathrobe,  lighted  a  long-stemmed  pipe, 
seated  himself  in  his  den  and  summoned  his  new  partner. 
"Has  this  scheme  of  yours  any  focus,  Hereford?"  he 
asked. 

"  It  is  all  worked  out,  sir,"  replied  Hereford  modestly. 

"  From  now  on,  you  have  a  double  part  to  play,  Here- 
ford. As  my  business  associate,  you  must  never  be 
servile.  You  are  the  president  of  this  new  company  and 
I  am  merely  the  board  of  directors.  You  must  initiate  the 
policies,  and  I  shall  stand  out  for  cautiousness  and  con- 
servatism. You  must  have  all  your  arguments  at  your 
fingers'  ends  and  you  must  over-ride  the  board  of  directors 
and  have  your  own  way  in  everything.  Also,  you  must  pay 
dividends  or  the  board  will  replace  you  with  a  new  presi- 
dent possessing  better  executive  ability.  This  is  the  regu- 
lar way,  and  if  you  imagine  business  to  consist  in  raising 
the  eyebrows  and  strutting,  you  are  doomed  to  a  serious 
and  lasting  disappointment.  Wilson  is  guiding  the  venture 
under  his  control  as  skillfully  as  he  used  to  drive  a  car. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  you  will  administer  your  new  affairs 
as  smoothly  as  you  always  have,  with  one  exception,  ad- 
ministered mine.  On  the  other  hand,  I  shall  expect  the 
same  quality  of  personal  service  to  which  I  have  been  ac- 
customed. It  is  to  be  understood  that  this  particular  house- 
hold is  not  to  the  smallest  extent,  a  part  of  the  training 
school." 

There  was  a  noble  humility  shining  in  Hereford's  face. 
The  part  of  his  intellect  which  was  not  mechanical  was 


AN    UNEXPECTED   THRUST     107 

metaphysical,  and  he  felt  that  he  was  standing  in  the 
shadow  of  a  miracle  —  which  was  indeed  true.  Our  en- 
tire financial  and  economic  system  is  a  miracle,  and  no 
perfectly  sane  outsider  would  believe  a  word  of  it  if  it 
were  explained  to  him  for  the  first  time.  For  instance, 
here  was  Phil  Lytton,  a  decidedly  loveable  chap,  but  one 
utterly  incapable  of  producing  a  penny's  worth  of  real 
value.  Yet  by  making  a  few  marks  on  a  worthless  bit  of 
paper,  he  miraculously  transfers  a  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars' worth  of  surplus  value  from  those  who  actually  did 
produce  it,  and  hands  its  curious  power  over  to  a  man  who 
had  absolutely  nothing  at  all  to  do  with  the  production. 
Phil  saw  nothing  peculiar  in  the  transaction;  but  Hereford 
who  understood  it  even  less,  was  subdued  and  chastened 
by  the  marvel  of  it. 

"  You  need  have  no  fear,  sir,  Mr.  Lytton.  I  already 
'ave  ten  applicants  in  training  at  our  club.  You  are  per- 
haps not  aware  s  —  Mr.  Lytton,  that  I  am  a  member  of 
the  Gentlemen's  Gentlemen  Club.  We  have  our  own  build- 
ing on  Forty-fourth  Street,  and  I  'ave  been  training  them 
for  over  a  month.  Any  one  of  them  is  now  fit  for  —  for 
an  assignment.  I  'ave  figured  out  a  scale  of  prices  which 
I  think  will  prove  attractive  and  also  pay  a  large  profit. 
The  profit  will  increase  with  the  business  at  a  much  faster 
rate  than  the  expenses.  I  'ave  been  carrying  on  a  ficti- 
tious correspondence  with  some  of  our  best  people,  trying 
to  imagine  what  their  needs  could  be  so  that  we  could  fill 
orders  at  a  moment's  notice.  Each  man  will  wear  a 
slightly  different  livery  so  as  to  keep  up  the  appearance  of 
continuous  employment  instead  of  a  merely  temporary 
service.  I  believe  that  a  judicious  combination  of  this  com- 
pany and  Mr.  Wilson's  will  be  most  helpful.  The  men 


io8        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

who  use  these  machines  would  very  likely  at  times  need  a 
man  for  a  short  time,  and  by  listing  them  and  writing  them 
personal  letters — " 

"If  you  find  out  that  you  don't  like  this  business,  I  think 
that  Colonel  Edgerton  could  use  you  very  well  in  his  real 
estate  emporium,"  interrupted  Phil  with  hidden  mirth; 
"  but  you  really  have  made  a  fine  start  and  I  don't  mind 
telling  you  that  you  interest  me  very  much.  Here,  Mr. 
Hereford,  have  a  cigar,  take  a  seat,  and  let  us  go  to  the 
bottom  of  this  thing." 

They  talked  well  into  the  night,  Phil  delicately  accenting 
the  words  he  wished  to  call  to  Hereford's  attention,  words 
upon  which,  either  as  to  their  pronunciation  or  meaning, 
Hereford  seemed  to  hold  unorthodox  opinions.  As  they 
talked,  the  new  president  gradually  thawed  into  a  quite 
human  and  very  companionable  individual.  Unconsciously 
he  assumed  his  Gentlemen's  Gentlemen  air,  and  in  the  circle 
where  it  was  habitually  worn,  Hereford  was  quite  a  person- 
age. Phil  was  surprised  to  see  the  scope  of  the  scheme  as  it 
had  already  been  outlined,  and  he  entered  into  it  as  into  a 
game,  his  imagination  took  fire  and  he  made  suggestions 
which  aroused  Hereford's  enthusiasm.  Two  boys  they 
were,  planning  a  frolic  —  which  is  the  kind  of  business 
life  was  intended  to  be. 

Next  day  they  went  office  hunting,  Hereford  having 
strict  orders  to  assert  his  dignity  and  not  to  treat  Phil  as 
a  superior.  He  found  this  a  difficult  task  after  their  long 
years  of  rigid,  though  comfortable  etiquette,  and  Phil  was 
forced  to  remind  him  occasionally;  but  with  all  others, 
Hereford  asserted  himself  with  calm  assurance,  and  they 
had  a  pleasant  day  together.  They  found  four  places  of 
equal  suitability  and  dined  together  at  Sherry's.  Here- 


AN    UNEXPECTED    THRUST     109 

ford  did  the  ordering  very  deliberately,  very  tastefully, 
very  satisfactorily,  and  then  they  drove  home  in  a  Wilson 
car. 

Phil  was  in  a  delightful  frame  of  mind ;  he  fairly  beamed. 
He  had  found  Hereford  not  only  shrewd  and  alert,  but 
affable  and  pleasant.  Phil  felt  as  though  he  had  been 
dragged  to  an  unwelcome  play,  and  that  it  was  turning 
out  to  be  amusing  after  all.  It  was  a  very  pleasing  vista 
which  he  encountered  as  he  looked  into  his  future.  It 
would  be  great  sport  to  be  the  silent  partner  in  the  two 
service  companies  which  he  had  already  started  and  he 
felt  that  before  long  he  would  be  deeply  engrossed  in  the 
active  management  of  their  affairs.  He  had  really  cut 
the  teeth  of  his  ambition,  and  it  was  with  a  thrill  of  joy 
that  he  pictured  all  the  tough  propositions  still  to  chew 
in  the  world.  He  felt  a  big  capacity  for  action,  he  felt 
that  he  himself,  the  real  Phil  Lytton,  was  greater  than  the 
luxurious  corner  in  which  he  had  found  himself,  and  he 
decided  to  withdraw  his  money  from  idle  speculation,  and 
embark  in  a  business  of  his  own,  a  Phil  Lytton  Business. 
Then,  as  he  climbed  the  single  flight,  he  remembered 
Edith,  and  how  little  he  had  felt  her  presence  all  that  day. 
It  made  him  smile  with  triumph. 

A  messenger  boy  stood  on  the  landing,  a  tired  little  fel- 
low; he  reproachfully  handed  Phil  a  message.  Phil  read 
it,  felt  a  queer  tremor  go  through  him,  and  then  unlocked 
the  door  and  motioned  the  boy  to  follow  him. 

Once  inside,  Phil  left  them  and  entered  his  den  where 
he  again  read  the  message  which  was  already  burned  into 
his  memory  as  with  a  brand. 

"  This  is  my  fourth  wire  C  has  jumped  three  twenty 
points  cover  at  once.  Morgan." 


CHAPTER  TEN 

HONORS  THRUST   UPON   THE   COLONEL 

EVENTS  have  a  strange  lack  of  proportion,  an  utter  dis- 
regard of  the  demands  of  art  and  an  impertinent  scorn  of 
the  orthodox  methods  of  the  stage.  When  little  Martha 
really  does  starve  to  death,  there  is  no  slow,  quivery  music ; 
she  does  not  drip  beautiful  platitudes  as  the  belated  philan- 
thropist strolls  closer  in  an  irritatingly  purposeless  way, 
especially  designed  for  the  stimulation  of  suspense.  In- 
stead, she  merely  curls  up  tighter  and  tighter  into  a  numb, 
commonplace  knot,  to  the  distant  rumble  of  an  early  milk 
wagon,  while  a  gaunt  alley  cat  looks  on  with  idle  curiosity 
or  cannily  estimates  her  value  as  a  future  asset. 

It  is  thus  all  the  way  through :  the  little  things  make  the 
big  noise  and  the  big  things  have  so  much  to  do  that  they 
refuse  to  waste  any  energy  in  keeping  an  audience  awake. 
The  thunder  storm  frightens  the  entire  animal  kingdom, 
and  knocks  over  an  old  stump,  or  sets  a  barn  on  fire, 
while  all  the  time,  without  any  fuss  or  pretense,  the  visible 
supply  of  water  continues  to  evaporate  until  sooner  or 
later  —  unless  some  more  picturesque  method  intervenes 
—  the  big  round  Earth  with  its  swarming  parasites  will  be 
nothing  but  a  glistening  tomb  bobbing  about  in  the  cold 
beams  of  a  dying  sun. 

And  this  same  obstinate  inconsistency  is  equally  apparent 
in  the  history  of  a  race  or  the  life  of  a  single  individual. 

IIO 


For  instance,  when  Phil,  rich  and  with  a  glowing  prospect 
of  success,  prepared  to  embark  in  business  he  made  his 
sorrow  manifest  through  much  bewailing;  but  now  that  the 
little  game  appeared  done,  he  stood  quite  silent  amidst  the 
wreckage,  idly  drumming  upon  the  back  of  a  chair.  His 
face  was  not  drawn  or  pale;  he  seemed  to  be  considering 
other  affairs  than  his  own;  his  brain  was  never  so  alert 
nor  its  operations  so  accurate. 

"  Two  hundred  fifty  thousand  to  pay,"  he  mused  aloud, 
"  and  not  an  investment  I  wish  to  disturb.  I  hate  to  crawl 
back  and  confess  that  I  am  a  dub,  but  it  is  all  in  the  game, 
and  the  sooner  I  get  at  it  the  better." 

He  looked  up  Nathan  Meyer's  home  address  and  called 
him  to  the  telephone.  Nathan's  voice  indicated  very  little 
surprise  at  the  unexpected  call,  and  he  immediately  invited 
Phil  to  a  conference.  Nathan  lived  on  Park  Avenue,  and 
as  the  distance  was  short,  Phil  decided  to  walk. 

He  first  wrote  a  check  for  one  hundred  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  sent  it  with  a  short  note  to  Morgan,  bid- 
ding him  hold  the  cotton,  and  that  he  would  cover  in  full 
on  the  following  day.  As  soon  as  the  messenger  had 
started,  Phil  hurried  in  the  direction  of  his  late  agent. 

The  nearer  he  came  to  Nathan's,  the  more  slowly  he 
walked.  Beside  him  walked  the  personality  which  he  had 
worn  during  the  interview  in  which  he  had  told  Nathan 
of  his  intention  to  manage  his  own  affairs.  It  was  a  flip- 
pant, crude,  boastful  personality,  and  he  longed  to  throttle 
it  and  hide  it  forever  from  the  sight  of  man.  A  man  is 
really  only  free  to  brag  after  he  has  had  much  experience, 
and  then  wisdom  has  thoroughly  removed  all  temptation  in 
this  direction. 

Nathan  admitted  him  with  his  usual  kindly  reserve,  and 


ii2        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

conducted  him  through  a  beautifully  furnished  hall  into  a 
quaint  old  library.  Even  in  his  nervous  humility,  Phil  was 
keenly  aware  of  the  confident  taste  which  dominated  every- 
thing, the  rugs,  the  paintings,  the  sympathy  which  prompted 
the  elimination  of  hired  service  and  bade  Nathan,  himself, 
open  the  door. 

"  I  have  long  wished  to  welcome  you  to  my  home, 
Philip.  I  welcome  you  now  with  all  my  heart." 

"  I  have  come  to  talk  business,"  said  Phil  bluntly. 

Nathan  smiled.  "  There  are  no  walls  which  can  shut  it 
out  nowadays.  One  goes  to  the  opera  and  his  enjoyment  is 
marred  by  men  talking  business ;  one  goes  to  the  park  for 
a  breath  of  nature,  and  even  there  it  crowds  its  way  be- 
tween the  green  grass  and  one's  pleasure  in  it.  Yet,  you 
are  my  guest,  and  if  your  business  will  not  wait  until  the 
morrow,  we  can  talk  over  it  now.  Business  has  seldom 
been  a  topic,  however,  in  my  home." 

"  I  have  to  raise  two  hundred  fifty  thousand  dollars  to- 
morrow, Mr.  Meyer,"  confessed  Phil. 

Again  Nathan  smiled.  "  It  is  a  fair  sum,  but  certainly 
not  one  to  embarrass  you.  It  is  not  possible  that  you  have 
already  become  so  involved  that  it  will  be  at  all  difficult 
to  raise  two  hundred  fifty  thousand." 

Phil  keenly  felt  the  accent  upon  the  word  already  and 
the  contempt  laid  upon  the  sum  in  question.  "  I  have 
ample  security,"  he  responded,  "  but  it  is  in  a  peculiar  form, 
and  I  don't  clearly  understand  how  to  borrow  money." 

"  Some  men  have  become  wealthy  because  they  knew  how 
to  borrow  money,  and  some  have  become  wealthy  because 
they  did  not  know  how  to  borrow  money,"  said  Nathan 
enigmatically.  "  I  rather  think,  Philip,  that  you  are  one 


THE  COLONEL  HONORED  113 

of  those  who  will  thrive  best  by  not  learning  how  to  borrow. 
Can  you  not  do  without  this  loan?  " 

"  It  is  to  cover  margins  —  Cotton." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Nathan  nodding  his  head.  "  All  this  day 
people  have  been  hurrying  to  and  fro  trying  to  borrow 
money  because  cotton  took  an  unexpected  jump ;  but  the 
people  who  work  in  the  fields  will  never  know  of  it,  which 
is  quite  strange  after  all.  And  so,  Philip,  you  were  a  bear  ? 
This,  also,  is  very  strange.  Most  beginners  are  bulls. 
You  should  have  won;  but  then  you  are  not  alone.  Tom 
Norton  is  in  the  same  boat  with  you,  to-night.  He  also 
does  not  now  know  how  to  borrow  money;  while  a  young 
man  by  the  name  of  Scranton  is  receiving  the  congratula- 
tions, the  envy,  and  the  hate  of  the  street,  and  is  being 
hailed  by  the  papers  as  the  new  Napoleon." 

Phil  made  no  reply.  He  saw  as  in  a  vision  the  patron- 
izing manner  in  which  he  had  chaffed  Scranton  about  his 
diet,  and  the  steady  determination  which  had  gleamed  in 
the  man's  eyes. 

"  What  are  your  securities  ?  "  asked  Nathan. 

Phil  repeated  them  in  a  diffident  voice. 

"  Twelve  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,"  said  Na- 
than after  a  slight  pause,  "  and  not  one  penny  in  securities 
which  are  listed  in  the  open  market.  You  certainly  are 
a  venturesome  boy,  Philip.  I  hardly  know  how  to  advise 
you." 

"You  lend  money  yourself,  do  you  not?"  demanded 
Phil. 

Nathan  shook  his  head.  "  Not  on  that  sort  of  security," 
he  answered  decisively. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  would  not  advance 


ii4        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  on  twelve  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars'  security?" 

"  It  is  not  the  quantity  of  the  security,  it  is'  the  quality  of 
it  which  determines  in  this  case.  I  know  nothing  what- 
ever about  any  of  your  holdings,  exept  the  Unicorn  De- 
veloping Company,  and  really,  Philip,  there  is  no  physical 
valuation  there  whatever.  They  do  hold  immense  options, 
but  the  thing  which  they  are  capitalizing  is  the  central 
scheme,  which  is  right  enough  financing,  but  does  not  ap- 
peal to  me  at  the  present." 

"  Then  you  do  not  wish  to  advance  the  money  ? " 

"  Are  you  asking  that  from  a  purely  business  stand- 
point, or  is  there  a  trace  of  friendship  in  it?  " 

"  What  difference  does  it  make  ? "  demanded  Phil 
haughtily. 

"  Simply  this,"  answered  Nathan  blandly.  "  I  would 
not  advance  two  hundred  fifty  thousand  dollars  upon  your 
securities,  but  I  might  lend  that  amount  to  a  friend  without 
security." 

Phil  meditated:  there  were  responsibilities  as  well  as 
privileges  to  friendship;  he  recalled  that  Nathan  had  a 
daughter;  many  embarrassing  possibilities  flashed  before 
him,  and  his  boyish,  troubled  face  grew  firm.  "  I  made  it 
entirely  as  a  business  proposition,"  he  said,  rising  and  ex- 
amining a  curious  print. 

"  Then,  I  must  reject  it,"  responded  Nathan.  "  Money 
is  very  tight  just  now,  as  you  know,  and  there  is  an  im- 
mense demand  for  call  loans  on  gilt  edge  security.  I  think 
you  will  have  little  difficulty  in  getting  what  you  wish ;  but 
in  case  you  do  not,  you  might  come  to  me  again  as  a  last 
resort  My  daughter  has  some  private  funds  of  her  own, 


THE  COLONEL  HONORED  115 

which  she  manages  for  her  own  amusement.  Her  business 
ideals  resemble  your  own  more  than  mine  do.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  she  would  look  with  favor  upon  your  securities, 
and  she  has  been  very  successful  in  taking  what  I  should 
consider  risky  chances." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Phil.  "  And  now,  I  think  I  must  be 
going.  I  rather  expect  to  leave  town  for  a  while,  and  shall 
say  good-bye,  as  I  may  not  see  you  again." 

They  shook  hands  and  both  men  were  sorry  for  the 
something  which  seemed  to  hold  them  apart.  Nathan  fol- 
lowed Phil  to  the  door  in  silence.  Things  had  not  gone 
as  he  had  wished,  and  yet  he  did  not  feel  entirely  at  fault. 
Phil  felt  a  certain  contempt  for  Nathan  at  what  he  con- 
ceived to  be  a  very  bald  bid  for  something  which  gentlemen 
did  not  sell.  "  I  may  wind  up  on  the  scrap  heap,"  he  mut- 
tered to  himself,  "  but  hanged  if  I  '11  be  a  ladder." 

"  I  shall  be  at  my  office  early  to-morrow  morning,  in  case 
you  wish  to  see  me,"  said  Nathan. 

"  I  expect  to  be  busy  all  day  to-morrow,"  said  Phil,  indi- 
cating that  this  would,  of  course,  preclude  any  possibility 
of  his  calling  upon  his  late  agent. 

"  I  am  willing  to  lend  you  seventy-five  thousand  dollars 
upon  your  Wilson  Public  Service  Stock,  as  a  purely  busi- 
ness proposition,"  suggested  Nathan. 

"  Oh,  there  is  no  use  splitting  them  up,"  answered  Phil 
lightly.  "  I  think  I  can  borrow  all  I  want  on  them  at  one 
place,  and  would  prefer  to  do  it  that  way.  Don't  feel  that 
you  have  hurt  me  in  any  way,  Mr.  Meyer.  I  wanted  you 
to  look  upon  it  as  a  purely  business  proposition,  and,  really, 
I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  giving  me  your  unbiased 
opinion  of  my  holdings.  I  also  apologize  for  disturbing 


n6        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

you  with  business  at  this  time  of  night ;  but  I  have  been  en- 
gaged all  day  and  did  not  discover  my  needs  until  a  few 
minutes  ago.  Good  night." 

Once  out  in  the  street,  Philip  Lytton  gave  himself 
up  to  the  luxury  of  a  demonstrative  rage.  He  cast  reason 
aside  and  said  things  to  himself  about  Mr.  Meyer,  his  an- 
cestry, his  progeny,  and  his  race,  which  were  quite  inaccu- 
rate and  quite  improper.  After  the  storm,  he  felt  better 
and  when  he  perceived  the  Belmont  through  the  rising  fog 
of  his  anger,  he  stepped  inside  to  the  telephone  booths. 

After  a  little  difficulty,  he  found  Colonel  Edgerton  and 
ordered  him  to  come  at  once  to  the  bar  of  the  Knickerbocker 
Club.  This  demand  was  so  unusual  that  the  Colonel  did 
not  even  question  it,  but  acted  upon  the  suggestion  as 
though  he  were  hypnotized.  If  you  really  want  a  thing 
done,  telephone  an  order  and  then  hang  up  the  receiver  be- 
fore your  whereabouts  can  be  ascertained.  After  seating 
himself  in  a  cab,  Colonel  Edgerton  was  incensed  at  the  ease 
with  which  he  had  been  inveigled  from  a  peculiarly  pleas- 
ant environment  during  a  singularly  pleasing  streak  of 
luck,  and  by  the  time  he  had  reached  the  club,  he  was  pre- 
pared to  punish  "  the  inexcusable  impudence  of  the  young 
whipper-snapper." 

He  was  up  to  the  boiling  point  and  spluttering  by  the 
time  he  arrived ;  but  Phil  paid  no  heed  to  him.  He  led  him 
to  a  secluded  spot  and  without  leading  up  to  his  subject  or 
even  asking  the  usual  question,  demanded :  "  Colonel,  have 
you  two  hundred  fifty  thousand  dollars  which  are  not  work- 
ing?" 

"How  much  did  you  say?"  asked  the  surprised  Colonel, 
mechanically  reaching  for  his  bill  book. 


THE  COLONEL  HONORED  117 

"  Two  hundred  fifty  thousand  dollars,"  repeated  Phil 
impatiently. 

"  What  on  earth  do  you  want  with  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  ?  "  exclaimed  the  Colonel. 

Phil  sighed.  "  We  should  never  arrive  anywhere  at  this 
rate,"  he  said.  "  You  go  ahead  and  ask  me  the  questions 
you  want  to,  and  after  I  have  answered  them,  I  shall  once 
more  ask  the  one  which  interests  me." 

"  Well,  you  certainly  have  an  exasperating  way  with 
you!  I  did  not  seek  this  interview,  and  I  am  not  the  one 
who  is  asking  the  favor.  I  was  very  contented  where  I 
was  and  if  you  feel  — " 

"Oh,  this  certainly  is  galling!"  interrupted  Phil.  "I 
have  never  asked  many  favors  of  you,  as  you  will,  perhaps, 
recall ;  and  I  am  not  going  to  begin  at  this  late  date ;  but  I 
find  I  shall  have  to  leave  town  to-morrow  and  —  to  be  brief, 
will  you  lend  me  that  sum  upon  twelve  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  in  what  I  consider  gilt  edge  security  ?  " 

Indirectly,  Phil  had  caused  many  exasperating  whirlpools 
in  the  placid  flow  of  the  Colonel's  life,  and  a  true  diplomat 
would  have  approached  him  with  more  finesse;  but  Phil 
was  Phil  and  he  had  never  learned  the  gentle  art  of  beg- 
ging. He  had  an  under-consciousness  of  justice,  quite 
out  of  keeping  with  modern  affairs,  which  made  it  agree- 
able to  have  favors  done  him  because  the  favors  themselves 
were  right,  and  not  because  he  himself  was  pleasing  to  the 
one  who  did  the  favor.  Such  an  attitude  can  only  flourish 
under  enlightenment,  and  is  a  premature  exotic  under  what 
is  carelessly  called  "  Civilization,"  and  which  is  supposed 
by  many  to  be  actually  worthy  of  commendation. 

"  Young  man,"  said  the  Colonel  ponderously,  "  you  have 


n8        THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

a  very  inadequate  sense  of  values.  Two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  is  a  sum  of  money  which  is  entitled  to 
consideration.  A  business  man — " 

"  I  am  not  asking  you  for  it !  I  am  not  attempting  any 
sort  of  confidence  game.  I  am  offering  you  twelve  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  security,  and  if 
a  business  man  expects  any  more  than  this  he  is  in  need  of 
a  nerve  depressant.  I  am  not  asking  your  advice;  all  I 
am  asking  for  is  a  temporary  loan,  and  if  you  do  not  wish 
to  make  it  from  a  business  standpoint  all  I  can  do  is  to  apol- 
ogize for  having  bothered  you  and  to  set  you  down  wher- 
ever you  wish  to  go." 

"If  you  are  not  anxious  to  get  the  money,  why  on  earth 
did  you  disturb  me  at  this  time  of  night?  I  was  enjoying 
myself;  I  was  not  worrying  about  an  opportunity  to  make 
further  investment;  I  was  having  a  very  pleasant  evening 
and  you  intruded  with  your  own  affairs.  Therefore  I 
consider  that  I  am  perfectly  justified — " 

"  You  were  perfectly  justified  to  refuse  the  interview  in 
the  first  place,"  interrupted  Phil.  "  This  is  not  the  su- 
preme court  and  I  did  not  subpoena  you!  If  you  do  not 
wish  to  make  the  loan,  all  you  need  to  do  is  to  say  so.  It 
is  neither  necessary  to  defend  your  action  nor  to  give  me  a 
lecture." 

The  Colonel  threw  himself  back  in  his  chair  and  breathed 
rapidly;  his  lips  moved,  his  tongue  moistened  them,  but 
his  brain  refused  to  coin  a  remark  which  would  do  justice 
to  the  occasion.  "  I  '11  not  lend  you  the  money,"  he  finally 
ejaculated,  getting  some  comfort  from  the  fierceness  of  his 
tone,  but  at  the  same  time  feeling  that  he  was  doing  some- 
thing to  be  ashamed  of.  "  You  refused  to  take  my  ad- 
vice ;  you  insisted  upon  trying  to  play  another  man's  game 


THE  COLONEL  HONORED  119 

without  knowing  a  single  thing  about  it ;  and  now  that  you 
have  gone  broke,  you  have  no  one  to  blame  but  yourself." 

"  Gone  broke !  "  exclaimed  Phil.  "  You  are  certainly 
conservative.  Why,  even  under  the  Roman  Empire  a  man 
who  could  stick  up  twelve  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars was  not  broke." 

The  Colonel  felt  that  he  was  not  playing  up  to  his  usual 
form.  "  There  is  no  use  losing  your  temper  about  it,  my 
boy,"  he  said,  as  if  surprised  at  Phil's  outburst  in  com- 
parison with  his  own  gentlemanly  deportment.  "  I  feel 
that  my  position  as  your  friend  —  I  may  say,  your  long- 
tried  friend  —  in  addition  to  my  riper  business  experience, 
entitles  me  to  a  modicum  of  your  confidence,  when  you 
come  to  me  of  your  own  accord  and  ask  what  is  really  a 
strain  upon  my  own  resources,  a  big  strain." 

"  Strain  ?  How  could  it  strain  a  man  in  your  position  ? 
You  not  only  have  an  ample  private  fortune,  but  in  addition 
have  under  your  control  the  fortunes  of  Edith,  your  brother, 
and  the  Canal  Boater's  Haven.  It  is  merely  business,  Col- 
onel, and  the  only  question  is  in  regard  to  my  securities." 

"What  are  they?" 

Phil  repeated  the  list,  and  when  he  had  finished,  the  Col- 
onel sat  and  stared  at  him. 

"  Philip,"  he  said  soberly,  "  you  are  a  most  original  boy. 
I  would  not  risk  one  penny  of  the  property  under  my  con- 
trol upon  such  securities;  but  I  can  raise  that  amount  on 
my  own  resources,  and  if  you  will  tell  me  what  moonlight 
scheme  is  still  in  your  brain,  I  think  I  shall  let  you  have  it. 
That  is  a  most  remarkable  list." 

Phil  dropped  his  eyes  in  study ;  the  Colonel  was  a  kindly 
soul  at  heart,  and  to  be  trusted.  It  really  was  less  humili- 
ating to  tell  the  purpose  for  which  he  wanted  the  money, 


120        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

than  it  was  to  be  ashamed  to  tell  it,  and  a  clean  breast  would 
probably  make  him  feel  free  and  strong  once  more. 

"  Cotton,  Colonel,  cotton,"  he  said  with  an  ease  which 
was  only  a  trifle  forced.  "  I  was  bearing  the  market  with 
forty  thousand  bales  and  they  caught  me  with  my  back 
turned." 

"  Gambling,  huh  ?  Speculating  on  margins !  Just  ex- 
actly what  I  warned  you  against  —  and  with  forty  thousand 
bales,  too!  Oh,  this  is  precisely  what — " 

"  Now  what  I  want  you  to  do,"  interposed  Phil  without 
regarding  the  Colonel,  "  is  to  take  my  securities  and  my 
options,  and  finish  the  deal  any  way  you  want  to.  It  can't 
go  much  higher,  and  it  will  slide  with  the  same  speed  that 
it  soared.  I  am  going  west  for  a  while,  and  you  can  do 
whatever  you  wish  with  the  deal;  but  if  I  were  you,  I 
should  follow  it  up.  You  are  entitled  to  all  you  can  make 
out  of  my  stuff  until  I  get  back." 

"  Well,  how  long  do  you  expect  to  be  gone  —  hang  it, 
Phil,  I  don't  know  any  more  about  cotton  than  —  than  you 
do,  and  I  don't  want  the  responsibility.  Why  don't  you  stick 
to  the  wheel  until  this  blow  is  over  and  then  jump  out  of 
the  game  for  good  and  go  into  partnership  with  me  ?  Edith 
is  all  at  sea  already  the  way  things  — " 

"  Edith  must  not  be  told  of  my  temporary  embarrassment. 
You  understand  that,  of  course." 

"Of  course,"  replied  the  Colonel.  They  did  not  speak 
for  a  few  moments,  and  then  the  Colonel  resumed  in  even 
tones :  "  I  accept  this  mission  as  a  purely  business  transac- 
tion, Phil,  although  I  do  not  approve  of  your  investments. 
Still,  I  think  they  will  be  the  making  of  you  in  the  end. 
Don't  worry  a  bit  while  you  are  away,  and  come  back  as 
soon  as  you  can.  These  —  these  little  obstacles  are  likely 


THE  COLONEL  HONORED  121 

to  happen  at  the  start  of  most  successful  careers  in  order 
to  make  a  man  cautious.     Let 's  have  a  drink." 

"  This  is  mighty  good  of  you,  Colonel,"  said  Phil  with 
appreciation,  as  soon  as  the  drink  had  been  ordered,  "  but 
I  think  you  take  it  too  seriously.  I  only  look  upon  my- 
self as  embarrassed,  not  bankrupt." 

"  Why  are  you  going  west  ?  "  asked  the  Colonel  irrele- 
vantly. 

"  I  want  to  investigate  that  mine  property." 

"  A  little  later,  you  will  investigate  property  before,  not 
after,  you  invest  in  it.  Have  you  any  inside  information 
upon  this  Unicorn  Investment  thing?" 

"  Nothing  new  since  I  invested." 

"  You  saw  the  rumor  about  it  in  to-day's  paper,  I  sup- 
pose?" 

"No;  what  was  it?" 

"  Oh,  I  did  not  pay  any  attention  to  it.  Some  newspa- 
per yarn,  I  suppose.  You  have  not  seen  much  of  Edith 
lately.  You  will  say  good-bye  before  you  leave,  will  you 
not?" 

"  I  '11  try  to  run  in  to-morrow,  but  I  '11  be  very  busy, 
and  if  I  don't  have  time,  I  '11  drop  her  a  note  from  Denver. 
It  is  after  midnight,  now,  or  I  'd  run  up  and  see  her." 

The  two  men  stood  up  and  shook  hands  with  a  firm, 
warm  pressure,  telling  each  other  what  their  civilized  lips 
refused  to  tell.  This  ancient  heritage  of  blood  messages 
will  probably  preserve  our  hearts  during  the  present  period 
of  chilly  conventions,  which  is  a  greater  boon  than  we  de- 
serve. "  Don't  worry  a  minute,  Phil.  This  will  all  blow 
over  like  a  cloud." 

The  Colonel  rode  off  in  a  cab  very  content  with  him- 
self, while  Phil  walked  up  the  avenue  to  his  apartment 


122        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

with  an  odd  mixture  of  emotions.  He  was  thankful  for  the 
Colonel's  help,  but  resented  the  uncalled-for  censure  which 
had  accompanied  it;  he  was  aware  that  he  loved  Edith 
more  than  ever,  and  yet  he  felt  a  pleasant  satisfaction  in  the 
thought  that  he  was  going  away  without  saying  farewell 
to  her;  but  over  and  above  all  his  other  feelings,  was  a 
vague,  intangible  sense  of  liberty.  He  was  going  away  from 
it  all,  from  it  all ;  from  the  wasted  youth,  the  wild  scramble 
to  redeem  it,  and  the  false  sympathy  of  those  who  would 
secretly  gloat  over  what  they  would  consider  his  failure. 

He  realized  that  until  some  of  his  investments  paid,  and 
not  for  one  second  did  he  doubt  their  ability  to  do  this  as 
soon  as  they  were  firmly  established,  he  would  be  forced 
to  curtail  his  mode  of  living  to  such  an  extent  that  it  would 
attract  the  attention  of  his  entire  list  of  friends,  and  there 
was  beginning  to  stir  within  him  a  romantic  impulse  to 
swing  out  from  it  all  in  a  quest,  a  genuine  quest  having  no 
fixed  object  or  ending,  except  to  match  his  own  untried 
prowess,  unbraced  by  any  of  its  former  advantages,  against 
the  ancient  cunning  of  the  world. 

Every  hour  of  a  man's  life  epitomizes  the  entire  life  into 
a  miniature. 


CHAPTER  ELEVEN 

PHIL   BEGINS   HIS   QUEST 

PHIL  opened  the  door  to  his  apartment  as  silently  as  pos- 
sible, but  Hereford  heard  him  and  leaned  forward  eagerly 
in  the  hope  that  he  would  be  summoned  for  some  service. 
Hereford's  room  was  in  the  rear  of  the  apartment,  and  it 
was  understood  that  except  upon  very  rare  occasions,  his 
employer  would  not  expect  any  service  of  him  when  he 
returned  late;  but  there  was  a  pride  in  Hereford's  self- 
respect  which  filled  him  with  a  desire  to  wait  upon  his 
present  business  partner  with  a  finish  additional  to  that  which 
had  graced  his  services  through  a  long  and  oft  tested  en- 
listment. Hereford  was  a  grateful  creature  with  a  simple, 
sincere  sense  of  the  practical  in  the  manner  of  showing  his; 
gratitude. 

But  Phil  did  not  ring  for  him.  Instead,  he  went  direct 
to  his  library  and  throwing  his  light  coat  aside,  picked  up 
the  Wall  Street  Journal,  and  there  he  saw  an  item  which 
brought  him  still  more  clearly  face  to  face  with  himself. 
It  was  only  a  few  lines,  in  which  it  was  stated  in  plain,  un- 
varnished language,  that  the  Unicorn  Developing  Company, 
an  English  enterprise  which  had  attracted  millions  of 
American  capital,  was  likely  to  turn  out  but  little  more 
than  a  South  Sea  bubble ;  that  the  option  upon  which  their 
entire  exploitation  depended  had  proven  to  be  illegal,  and 
that  it  was  doubtful  if  the  stock-holders,  who  had  actually 

123 


i24        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

made  bona  fide  investment,  would  realize  more  than  ten 
cents  on  the  dollar,  if  anything  at  all. 

"  The  Colonel  knew  this  all  the  time,"  murmured  Phil  in 
an  awed  voice.  "  He  knew  it  and  yet  he  accepted  my  se- 
curities. For  all  either  he  or  I  know  the  gold  mine  may  be 
merely  a  hole  in  a  gravel  bank.  The  Colonel  is  a  great 
man,  but  I  shall  not  let  him  be  squeezed  this  way.  Still, 
I  don't  see  how  I  can  help  it.  Perhaps  Nathan  Meyer  also 
knew  this  —  of  course  he  did.  Great  Scott,  it  is  no  longer 
a  choice  with  me ;  I  '11  have  to  leave  town."  Phil  straight- 
ened and  clenched  his  fist  — "  and  I  '11  have  to  make  good ; 
I  '11  win  back  enough  to  clear  myself  before  I  return." 

The  knight-errant  had  found  his  object  and  had  taken 
his  vow.  Now  he  must  put  his  castle  in  order  and  hasten 
forth  to  find  the  dragons,  the  ogres,  and  the  maidens  in 
distress. 

Then  Phil  touched  his  button.  When  Hereford  en- 
tered, he  found  his  employer  with  a  white  calm  face,  seated 
in  a  Turkish  rocker  and  preparing  to  light  a  bulldog 
pipe. 

"  Hereford,  I  wish  to  straighten  up  my  accounts  as  far 
as  possible,  and  to  leave  on  the  early  train  for  Denver. 
You  will  remain  here  and  develop  the  Domestic  Service 
Company." 

There  was  never  any  introduction  to  Phil's  plans:  he 
merely  said,  "  Hereford,  I  will  leave  on  the  early  morning 
train  for  Denver,"  and  it  was  Hereford's  duty  to  provide 
the  early  morning  train  and  see  that  Phil  got  aboard  with 
sufficient  clothing,  and  in  plenty  of  time. 

They  fell  to  upon  the  accounts  and  in  half  an  hour,  Phil 
had  signed  checks  which  left  him  exactly  five  hundred  dol- 
lars as  weapons  and  armor  for  his  quest.  This,  however, 


PHIL   BEGINS    HIS    QUEST     125 

in  his  then  frame  of  mind,  seemed  ample.  Knights  are 
queer  folk  who  go  about  their  preparations  in  a  half  daze, 
so  engaged  are  they  in  anticipating  the  delights  of  battle. 
"  Now,  Hereford,"  said  Phil  pleasantly,  "  take  a  cigar 
and  resume  your  business  man's  deportment.  I  have  been 
thinking  things  over  this  evening  and  have  come  to  several 
conclusions.  I  have  mining  interests  which  require  my  at- 
tention in  the  West  for  some  time,  and  it  will  be  a  splen- 
did opportunity  for  you  to  put  your  plans  into  operation. 
It  will  be  best  for  you  to  maintain  this  residence  as  your 
own,  charging  the  corporation  with  half  the  running  ex- 
penses and  myself  with  the  other  half.  When  you  have  a 
particularly  influential  client,  you  can  bring  him  here;  in 
fact,  it  will  add  greatly  to  your  standing  to  have  such  a 
place  to  which  you  can  bring  men  of  culture  who  tempo- 
rarily lack  an  income  sufficient  to  support  the  state  they  are 
fully  capable  of  appreciating.  I  may  only  be  gone  for  sev- 
eral months,  and  I  may  be  gone  for  an  entire  year;  but  I 
only  want  one  trunk  and  a  hand  bag.  Hold  all  my  mail, 
and  if  I  write  you,  be  ready  to  forward  it  promptly.  To  all 
inquirers,  simply  state  that  I  am  investigating  mining  pros- 
pects, and  that  you  are  not  at  liberty  to  reveal  my  where- 
abouts. 

"  That  will  be  all,  and  now  finish  your  packing  as  soon  as 
possible  and  get  some  rest.  I  also  want  to  tell  you  on  this 
occasion,  which  may  be  the  last  one  in  which  our  old  relation 
will  continue,  that  you  have  added  more  to  my  pleasure  and 
content  than  any  other  feature  of  my  life;  and  I  hope 
that  your  present  venture  will  be  entirely  successful,  and 
that  you  will  be  happy  all  the  days  of  your  life." 

Hereford's  eyes  filled  with'  tears  and  he  twice  said, 
"  Ahem,  ahem  !  "  with  quite  unnecessary  emphasis.  Finally, 


126        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

and  with  much  effort,  he  managed  to  say :  "  Thank  you,  sir, 
I  '11  —  I  '11  pack  your  trunk  at  once,  sir." 

"And  now,"  said  Phil  briskly  as  soon  as  Hereford  had 
left  the  room,  "  I  shall  get  some  sleep  myself." 

He  undressed  rapidly  and  slipped  into  bed.  Hereford, 
in  the  next  room,  made  almost  no  noise  at  all  with  his  rapid, 
skillful  packing,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  he  had 
switched  off  the  light  and  Phil  had  not  even  this  excuse 
for  wakef ulness ;  but  during  the  ensuing  half  hour,  he  tried 
nine  separate  and  distinct  methods  for  invariably  producing 
sleep  —  and  then  arose,  slipped  on  a  long,  soft,  cardinal 
robe  and  lighting  a  cigarette,  strolled  into  his  front  room. 

He  seated  himself  upon  the  "  Pirate's  Chest,"  an  evil- 
looking,  brass-bound  box  which  stood  in  a  corner  and  which 
contained  some  of  his  choicest  treasures.  He  sat  on  the 
chest  in  a  very  uncomfortable  position  until  three  ciga- 
rettes, many  reminiscences,  and  several  new  thoughts  were 
consumed. 

"  Of  course,  they  will  be  able  to  put  the  correct  con- 
struction upon  it,"  he  remarked  in  a  conversational  tone, 
waving  his  hand  in  a  comprehensive  gesture  which  included 
his  entire  list  of  acquaintances.  "  They  will  be  able  to 
stand  entirely  on  the  outside  and  tell  to  the  last  cipher  just 
how  many  kinds  of  an  idiot  I  have  been  and  just  how 
much  I  have  lost  and  just  why  I  pulled  up  stakes  and 
slipped  off  between  two  days. 

"  I  don't  know  the  answers  to  any  of  these  questions 
myself,  but  who  am  I?  Merely  the  chief  actor,  and  what 
are  chief  actors?  Merely  little  puppets  worked  by  strings 
and  wires  and  in  nowise  capable  of  estimating  or  apprecia- 
ting their  own  doings.  Why  am  I  going  west?  I  should 
not  know  a  gold  mine  from  a  blizzard,  and  I  know  that 


I 


"  They  will  be  able  to  tell  just  how  many  kinds  of  an 
idiot  I  have  been  and  just  how  much 'I  have  lost  and  just 
why  I  pulled  up  stakes  and  slipped  off  between  two  days." 


PHIL    BEGINS    HIS   QUEST     127 

this  is  not  the  reason.  I  can't  understand  it  at  all:  when 
I  made  the  lover's  leap  into  business,  I  gazed  about  this 
room  and  the  tears  splashed  down  on  my  heart  until  I 
feared  I  'd  catch  cold  in  it ;  but  now  —  I  suppose  it 's  like 
the  grace  of  death.  We  are  in  mortal  terror  of  Death  un- 
til he  arrives  in  person ;  then  we  see  through  the  false  ru- 
mors about  the  old  gentleman,  and  that  he  is  a  good  sort 
after  all,  and  that  everything  is  all  right. 

"  I  wonder  how  and  when  I  shall  die ;  and  as  a  last  won- 
der, I  wonder  what  on  earth  started  me  to  wondering. 
This  is  not  one  of  my  ways.  I  have  changed  a  lot  during 
the  last  few  weeks  since  we  sat  on  that  hill  and  she  deviled 
me  into  business.  I  love  her  as  much  as  I  did  but  I  do 
not  need  her  as  much.  It  has  been  over  a  week  since  I  saw 
her  and  it  may  be  quite  a  long  time  before  I  see  her  again. 
She  is  too  good  for  me,  but  I  'm  not  sure  that  she  's  any 
wiser  than  I  am.  It  takes  a  lot  of  natures  to  make  up  a 
whole  world:  some  of  us  are  content  with  having,  and 
some  are  filled  with  the  itch  of  getting.  No  matter  what 
they  have,  they  are  forced  to  get  something  more,  even  if 
it 's  only  more  of  the  same  kind  of  stuff.  Edith  is  one  of 
the  getters,  while  I  'm  content  to  sit  down  in  peace  and  play 
with  what  I  already  have.  Or,  at  least  I  was.  Now,  I 
have  not  the  slightest  idea  what  I  shall  develop  into.  This 
is  what  gives  me  a  shake :  I  have  very  little  regret  at  what 
I  am  leaving,  and  very  little  curiosity  as  to  where  I  am 
going. 

"  I  never  had  a  boyish  desire  to  run  away.  It  is  usually 
one  of  the  stages  in  every  boy's  life ;  but  I  never  had  it  — 
before.  If  I  were  in  a  position  to  judge,  I  should  say  that 
I  have  it  now.  It 's  a  funny  feeling,  as  though  I  had 
twisted  a  wire  about  part  of  my  life  and  it  were  slowly  get- 


128        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

ting  numb,  while  the  circulation  were  developing  a  new  set 
of  veins  in  which  to  flow.  Sensations  —  after  all,  that  is 
all  there  is  to  life.  We  don't  care  anything  about  the  foot- 
ball, but  we  do  care  a  heap  for  the  sensation  it  gives  to  ad- 
vance the  fool  thing  at  the  right  time.  The  sensations  of 
my  old  life  were,  on  the  whole,  rather  agreeable;  but  as 
they  begin  to  grow  dim,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  new  sensa- 
tions promise  an  added  richness." 

He  arose,  crossed  to  the  mantel  and,  after  he  had  lighted 
a  pipe,  he  seated  himself  in  a  comfortable  chair  with  the 
thoughtful  look  still  on  his  face.  "  I  think  I  can  see  why 
they  promise  a  new  richness.  I  am  going  forth  to  get  them. 
Edith  is  right;  we  must  get  the  things  which  give  us  true 
joy;  but  she  is  also  wrong;  it  is  the  getting,  not  the  things, 
which  counts,  and  she  jumped  at  a  false  conclusion  when 
she  sicced  me  at  business.  Business  is  not  my  field.  I 
dislike  saying  so,  just  at  this  time,  for  I  fear  I  shall  have  to 
enter  it  in  earnest  in  order  to  make  enough  to  live  decently 
until  some  of  my  ships  come  home.  Even  ten  cents  on  the 
dollar  would  be  something  out  of  the  Unicorn  bubble,  and  I 
have  every  confidence  in  Wilson  and  Hereford,  while  there 
may  be  something  in  that  gold  mine  for  all  I  know. 

"  But  I  have  a  curious  feeling  that  the  sensations  which 
I  shall  pick  up  on  this  trip  will  be  entirely  new.  My  life 
has  been  rather  replete  with  sensations  and  it  does  not  seem 
that  there  can  be  many  entirely  new  ones  left,  and  yet  I  do 
not  see  anything  familiar  in  connection  with  this  jaunt; 
everything  is  strange ;  enticing,  but  threatening ;  alluring,  yet 
forbidding;  it  seems  as  though  I  were  to  be  stripped  to  the 
skin  and  given  the  final  test,  the  test  of  unsupported  per- 
sonality. 

"  I  have  been  told  that  I  had  something  of  the  psychic 


PHIL    BEGINS    HIS    QUEST     129 

in  my  make-up;  but  now  I  wish  I  had  studied  up  on  it. 
There  are  visions  just  beyond  my  reach  and  I  know  that  if 
I  were  able  to  work  myself  into  one  of  these  trance 
conditions,  I  could  see  something  worth  while.  I  don't  care 
much,  though ;  it  will  be  all  the  more  fun  to  just  follow  the 
winding  road  and  never  know  what  new  thing  is  to  pop  out 
from  behind  the  next  curve. 

"  I  hate  to  leave  Edith  without  saying  good-bye,  and  yet 
I  could  not  stand  it  to  say  good-bye  to  her,  now.  Success, 
that  is  her  only  standard,  and  I  'd  hate  to  have  her  measure 
me  with  that,  now.  When,  or  rather,  if,  I  win,  I  shall  come 
back  to  her,  and  give  her  the  credit  for  it ;  but  if  I  fail  ut- 
terly, why,  I  '11  fail  alone,  and  —  she  does  not  need  me, 
any  way.  She  is  strong,  she  is  far  stronger  than  I,  and  I 
suppose  I  must  have  bored  her  a  lot  of  times  with  my  imma- 
ture way  of  strolling  through  life  with  a  smile.  I  wish  I 
were  worthy  of  her ;  and,  I  'm  going  to  try  to  be  worthy  of 
her ;  but  there  is  no  good  in  advertising  what  one  intends  to 
do.  If  Columbus  had  not  told  where  he  was  starting  to,  he 
might  have  gotten  the  credit  for  having  scientifically  calcu- 
lated the  whereabouts  of  America,  instead  of  starting  to  In- 
dia and  merely  blundering  into  a  rather  large  obstacle  in  the 
shape  of  the  Western  Continent. 

"  Well,  as  long  as  neither  I,  nor  anyone  else  has  any  idea 
where  I  am  heading,  no  one  can  look  wise  and  say  that  I 
failed  to  arrive.  And  now  I  am  going  to  cut  this  soliloquy 
short,  and  commune  a  while  with  the  old  friends  who  still 
meet  within  this  room." 

He  smoked  his  pipe  slowly  and  let  his  eyes  idly  rest  upon 
one  curious  gift  after  another.  From  time  to  time  he 
would  give  voice  to  a  reminiscent  exclamation,  but  for  the 
most  part  he  sat  in  silence.  The  electric  lights  were 


i3o        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

switched  off  and  in  the  soft  candle  beams,  his  face  was 
very  gentle,  but  at  the  same  time  stronger  than  usual.  He 
was  standing  upon  his  old  life,  looking  his  new  life 
squarely  in  the  eyes,  and  this  is  a  solemn  moment  in  the 
development  of  any  man. 

Hereford  found  him  asleep  in  his  chair  the  next  morn- 
ing, and  Hereford  was  struck  with  the  tender  sweetness  of 
his  smile;  but  then  Hereford  was  a  hero-worshipper,  and 
had  chosen  Phil  Lytton  for  his  hero,  so  that  his  opinion 
was  not  quite  to  be  classed  with  unprejudiced  testimony. 


CHAPTER  TWELVE 

A   LACK   OF  ARMOR 

EVEN  Phil  Lytton  himself  could  never  rightly  understand 
the  next  few  weeks.  It  took  him  but  a  few  days  to  learn 
that  the  prospects  of  the  Rosy  Dawn  mine  partook  largely 
of  the  nature  of  a  cloudy  sunset.  The  general  opinion 
among  experts  was,  that  while  the  stuff  was  there  beyond 
doubt,  it  would  cost  nearly  as  much  to  get  it  as  it  was 
worth,  and  that  the  Honor  Bright  mine,  whose  owners 
were  guided  by  the  second,  rather  than  the  first  name, 
would  gobble  it  up  as  soon  as  their  legal  limb  had  time  to 
select  the  technicality  which  best  suited  him.  The  Honor 
Bright  mine  was  in  politics,  which  is  explanation  sufficient 
for  anything,  from  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculous,  in  the 
sovereign  state  of  Colorado. 

The  newspapers  continued  to  comment  flippantly  upon 
the  Unicorn  Developing  Company,  and  the  notable  extent 
to  which  its  single  horn  differed  from  the  proverbial  horn 
of  plenty,  and  Phil  journeyed  on  to  San  Francisco  with  no 
other  thought  than  to  get  as  far  as  possible  from  the  shear- 
ing floor  where  he  had  left  his  own  contribution  of  lambs' 
wool.  It  is  a  depressing,  smothering  sensation  when  the 
soul  of  a  physical  man  feels  sore  and  beaten.  If  the  Lords 
of  High  Finance  had  hired  thugs  to  waylay  him  and  drop 
him  into  the  gutter  with  a  good  honest  blow  from  a  lead 
pipe,  Phil  would  have  seen  through  the  game  and  would 


132        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

have  arranged  a  pleasant  reception  for  the  next  gang  of 
thugs;  but  this  insidious  attack  found  him  with  no  more 
defence  than  an  alchemist  of  the  dark  ages  had  against  a 
cholera  germ. 

What  a  silly  thing  it  is  to  think  that  an  individual  man 
is  capable  of  taking  care  of  himself  amidst  the  enemies, 
natural  and  artificial,  which  constantly  hang  on  the  trail 
of  the  human  race  eager  to  tear  down  the  stragglers.  No- 
body is  ever  entirely  right,  but  everybody  always  is ;  and 
as  soon  as  we  learn  that,  socially,  the  entire  race  is  but  a 
single  organism  with  its  own  distinct  life,  and  that  men  and 
women  are  merely  individual  cells  of  this  organism,  we 
shall  begin  to  guard  these  small  cells,  to  cherish  them,  be- 
cause when  they  become  diseased  the  disease  spreads 
through  the  entire  race.  Selfishness  is  always  an  indica- 
tion of  intelligence.  The  rich  die  from  over-  the  poor 
from  under-eating;  whereas  it  is  plainly  evident  that  suf- 
ficient is  quite  enough. 

Phil  had  nearly  four  hundred  dollars  when  he  arrived  in 
San  Francisco,  and  four  hundred  dollars  is  ample  capital 
upon  which  to  embark  in  quite  a  creditable  list  of  enter- 
prises—  provided,  of  course,  that  one  has  selected  a  suit- 
able ancestry.  Phil  did  not  even  remotely  suspect  this; 
he  looked  upon  four  hundred  dollars  as  about  the  right 
amount  of  change  to  take  along  to  a  week-end  unless  one 
expected  to  play  a  longer  session  of  bridge  than  his  own 
high  animal  spirits  craved,  but  the  idea  of  its  being  capital 
was  preposterous. 

It  makes  us  feel  proud  and  happy  to  say  that  in  this  land 
of  the  free  there  is  equal  opportunity  for  all.  It  is  difficult 
to  imagine  any  human  trait  more  vicious  than  complacency. 
It  is  a  narcotic  drug  which  bids  us  sleep  and  dream  sweet 


ALACKOFARMOR  133 

dreams  while  the  house  burns  about  us.  Would  any  re- 
flecting person  affirm  that  Phil's  opportunities  were  the 
same  as  those  of  a  Greek,  or  a  Russian  Jew,  who  had  just 
arrived  at  Ellis  Island  with  the  same  amount  of  money  in 
his  pockets?  Hardly.  An  opportunity  is  always  both  ob- 
jective and  subjective. 

It  is  not  true  to  say  that  one  time  a  Digger  Indian  had  an 
opportunity  to  introduce  "  Civilization  "  into  this  country  in 
order  to  squeeze  its  vast  wealth  into  his  own  pockets  be- 
fore the  white  grafters  arrived.  Of  course,  there  was,  at 
that  time,  no  law  against  crime  on  this  wholesale,  and 
strictly  modern,  scale ;  but  only  the  objective  half  of  op- 
portunity was  above  the  horizon.  Subjectively,  the  Dig- 
ger Indian  knew  as  little  about  an  opportunity  worth  cross- 
ing the  street  to  kidnap,  as  a  high  school  graduate  knows 
about  actual  morality.  The  Digger  Indian  would  have 
been  just  as  much  hurt  if  one  had  questioned  his  knowledge 
of  opportunities,  as  the  graduate  would  at  the  insinuation 
of  his  ignorance  regarding  morality.  Merely  a  matter  of 
education  —  and  complacency. 

Phil  did  not  think  these  thoughts;  he  merely  bumped 
his  head  against  them  and  whimpered  to  himself  over  the 
pain.  There  was  no  large  city  in  the  country  where  he  did 
not  have  friends,  good,  warm,  trustworthy  friends  who 
would  put  him  up  for  a  night  or  a  month,  advance  him 
whatever  he  thought  he  would  need  in  the  way  of  money, 
and  give  him  an  opening  in  any  commercial  pursuit  which 
attracted  him ;  but  this  occurred  to  him  only  as  a  possibility 
to  be  utterly  avoided. 

He  possessed  one  of  those  large,  aristocratic  natures 
which  delight  in  conferring  favors,  but  suffer  untold  anguish 
when  forced  to  beg  them.  When  fully  alive,  we  possess  in- 


i34        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

stincts  which  whisper  to  us  our  actual  wants.  If  we  are 
ill,  they  indicate  the  kind  of  treatment  most  likely  to  restore 
us  to  health.  Phil  was  fully  alive  and  instinctively  knew 
that  to  get  out  and,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  do  his  own 
hunting,  eating  nothing  but  game  of  his  own  killing,  was 
the  only  course  capable  of  restoring  him  to  health  and  giv- 
ing him  strength  to  live  the  balance  of  his  life  with  dignity ; 
and  it  is  much  to  his  credit  that  he  chose  this  harder  way. 
Generally,  when  our  instinct  advises  a  fast,  our  feminine 
relatives  begin  to  lure  our  appetites  with  fascinating  foods, 
and  we  fall  before  the  temptation  and  make  a  chronic  dis- 
ease out  of  what  was  merely  an  acute  and  disciplinary  ill- 
ness. 

A  grim  and  satirical  humor  impelled  Phil  to  register  at  a 
second  grade  hotel  under  the  name  of  Phil  Little.  From 
this  obscurity,  he  ventured  forth  to  beat  the  lairs  of  com- 
merce. He  hunted  work  with  all  the  stealth  and  skill  which 
a  circus  man,  eager  to  enlarge  his  menagerie,  would  display 
if  he  held  a  band  concert  in  an  African  jungle,  under  the 
belief  that  this  would  be  the  quickest,  surest,  and  safest 
way  to  attract  the  wise,  free  beasts  whose  future  career 
would  consist  in  displaying  their  caged  sorrow  to  his  own 
profit  and  for  the  edification  and  degradation  of  innocent 
childhood,  and  mature  vulgarity.  A  wild  beast  is  not  so 
easily  trapped  as  a  voter. 

Phil  would  drop  jauntily  into  an  office,  request  an  inter- 
view with  the  president,  express  a  desire  for  a  temporary 
opportunity  to  assist  in  the  manipulation  of  vast  enterprises, 
and  lean  back  in  his  chair  with  a  friendly  smile  of  encour- 
agement. His  manners  and  assurance  invariably  gained 
him  the  interview,  and  invariably  thwarted  its  aims.  When 
a  young  man,  wishing  to  become  a  bank  clerk,  dismounts 


ALACKOFARMOR  135 

from  a  cab  to  tender  his  services,  it  is  quite  likely  to 
awaken  suspicion,  and  Phil  was  in  no  position  to  answer 
questions. 

It  is  really  painful  to  consider  the  customary  questions 
which  Phil  was  forced  to  face :  his  previous  business  experi- 
ence was  not  a  record  to  inspire  confidence  either  in  his 
veracity  or  his  ability;  he  could  furnish  no  references,  for 
there  was  none  to  whom  he  could  refer  as  a  former  em- 
ployer, and  he  could  not  even  reveal  his  name  without 
striking  the  colors  which,  in  a  moment  of  chivalrous  ex- 
citement, he  had  nailed  to  the  mast. 

He  had  always  supposed  that  it  would  be  utterly  im- 
possible for  him  to  hide  his  identity,  and  yet  he  was  never 
recognized,  and  only  once  did  he  see  old  friends.  On  this 
occasion  his  heart  was  very  heavy  and  he  took  his  first 
taste  of  the  bitter  waters  which  an  outcast  must  learn  to 
drink.  He  was  passing  a  fashionable  cafe  when  two  friends 
of  long  standing  alighted  from  a  carriage  in  company 
with  two  beautiful  girls ;  he  drooped  his  head  so  that  they 
would  not  recognize  him ;  but  they  passed  in  through  the 
glittering  doors  without  a  glance,  and  he  felt  that  at  last 
he  was  gazing  at  life  entirely  from  the  outside. 

He  was  no  longer  fastidious  in  his  toilet;  he  was  begin- 
ning to  read  "  want  ads  "  with  more  than  an  impersonal 
interest;  he  was  learning  to  pity  the  other  members  of  his 
race  who  were  forced  to  waste  a  shameful  amount  of  energy 
in  searching  for  a  market  where  labor  power  could  be  sold 
for  the  means  of  sustaining  it,  and  he  was  constantly  hur- 
rying with  bowed  head  through  the  damp,  gloomy  shadow 
of  untried  loneliness.  He  did  not  think  much  of  Edith 
during  the  day ;  but  at  night  she  always  seemed  to  come  to 
him,  at  times  with  a  trace  of  pity  in  her  eyes,  but  for  the 


136        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

most  part  she  seemed  to  sneer,  to  taunt  him  with  his  inca- 
pacity and  his  failure,  to  hold  before  him  the  youth  which 
he  had  wasted,  the  wealth  which  he  had  dissipated,  and  the 
weakness  which  prevented  him  from  finding  a  profitable 
outlet  for  the  strength  which  still  remained. 

Sometimes  he  would  drive  her  from  him  with  harsh 
words  of  defiance,  and  stalk  forth  into  the  night  to  walk  and 
walk  and  walk  until  the  weary  body  of  him  cried  aloud  for 
rest,  and  the  still  more  weary  mind  could  no  longer  harass 
him  with  the  knotted  whip  of  memory.  He  was  beginning 
to  long  for  the  fellowship  which  is  the  gray  compensation 
for  those  who  have  been  crowded  out  of  a  higher  class,  and 
fall  with  the  grin  of  despair  into  the  morals  and  manners 
of  a  class  below.  He  was  beginning  to  gather  a  new,  dim 
understanding  of  morality ;  to  see  that  each  little  human  is 
forced  to  make  his  own  compromise  with  the  arbitrary 
moral  ideal  which  was  given  to  him  by  the  class  into  which 
he  was  born,  and  which  sadly  hampers  him  in  his  struggle 
to  win  whatever  it  is  that  circumstances  had  offered  as  his 
prize. 

Of  course,  it  was  impossible  for  his  unfocused  intellect 
to  understand  it,  but  his  more  sensitive  emotions  could  feel 
something  of  the  impossibility  of  there  being  any  real 
morals  under  an  economic  system  which  was  itself  fla- 
grantly immoral,  any  more  than  it  could  be  immoral  for  a 
tiger  to  leap  from  ambush  upon  the  back  of  a  drinking  deer. 
It  was  a  matter  of  business  with  the  tiger,  and  also  with  the 
burglar.  Neither  helped  to  formulate  the  laws  of  their 
business,  and  both  acted  according  to  the  unswerving  im- 
pulses of  their  respective  characters ;  the  tiger,  being  a  crea- 
ture entirely  of  nature,  had  no  qualms  of  conscience,  the 
burglar,  being  a  compound  of  both  nature  and  a  thousand 


ALACKOFARMOR  137 

centuries  of  complicated  history,  had,  at  odd  moments,  tem- 
porary periods  of  repentance  to  cloud  his  satisfaction. 

Before  long  he  fell  into  the  habit  of  addressing  a  few 
remarks  to  the  human  derelicts  which  drifted  aimlessly 
along  the  Plaza  in  front  of  the  Chinese  Mission,  or  to  the 
human  wrecks  which  were  thrown  up  out  of  the  surf  along 
Barbary  Coast.  They  were  shy  with  him,  and  were  drawn 
to  him  only  to  the  extent  of  his  contributions  to  their  petty 
graft.  There  was  still  the  sleekness  of  cushions  about  him, 
and  they  were  the  alley  cats  of  the  race ;  living  upon  scraps 
and  refuse  but  wearing  neither  chain  nor  ribbon,  and  free 
from  both  responsibility  and  worry. 

He  investigated  solely  through  his  intuition ;  he  kept  no 
notes  except  those  which  were  burned  into  his  memory,  and 
he  made  no  attempt  to  classify,  or  seek  the  relationship 
among  the  facts  which  were  thrust  upon  him.  He  rushed 
on  through  the  jungle  all  about  him  instinctively,  as  the 
frightened  buck  plunges  through  a  thicket,  picking  up  mud 
and  thorns  without  knowing  or  caring  when  or  why. 

The  bitter  pity  in  his  heart  forced  him  to  useless  alms- 
giving during  the  holidays,  and  soon  after  New  Year's  he 
began  to  sell  his  clothing  and  pawn  his  jewelry.  Occa- 
sionally, in  wondering  at  his  carelessness  toward  what  he 
would  have  once  regarded  as  a  disgraceful  necessity,  he 
called  back  his  old  mental  processes,  and  during  these  com- 
plicated periods  he  paced  the  narrow  limits  of  the  cheaper 
room  which  he  had  taken,  like  a  caged  beast;  but  for  the 
most  part  he  underwent  his  change  as  we  all  do,  uncon- 
sciously. 

It  was  upon  the  morning  in  which,  for  the  first  time  in 
his  life,  he  found  himself  hungry  and  without  a  penny  to 
buy  food,  that  he  first  fully  comprehended  the  complete 


138        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

readjustment  which  had  taken  place  in  him.  He  looked  at 
himself  in  the  cracked  mirror,  and  smiled  grimly  at  the  re- 
flection. He  had  saved  the  suit  of  clothes  in  which  he  had 
left  New  York,  and  this  and  his  watch  with  a  shoestring 
for  chain,  made  up  his  entire  assets.  Even  his  trunk  and 
bag  had  been  sacrificed  for  food,  coarse  unappetizing  food, 
and  now  he  was  hungry  for  more  of  it,  and  not  a  penny  to 
pay. 

Beyond  a  certain,  consistent  unkemptness,  he  had  not 
changed  a  great  deal  on  the  surface.  His  body  had  not  yet 
begun  the  cannibalistic  feast  wherein  the  cells  which  are 
vital  to  its  future  activity  turn  in  and  eat  the  cells  of  re- 
serve energy,  hollowing  the  cheeks  and  neck,  throwing  the 
bones  to  the  surface,  and  stringing  the  taut  muscles  over 
them  without  regard  to  beauty.  All  this  was  still  an  un- 
tasted  experience  to  Phil  Lytton,  and  he  could  still  look 
upon  personal  hunger  as  a  joke,  a  rather  grim  joke  to  be 
sure,  but  still  a  joke. 

This  must  have  been  toward  the  latter  part  of  February, 
and  he  had  long  since  given  up  finding  a  position,  and  had 
for  several  weeks  been  honestly  searching  for  a  job.  A 
dreary,  soul-testing  labor  it  is,  and,  in  attempting  to  weigh 
and  measure  Phil  Lytton,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  dis- 
tasteful as  was  his  mode  of  life,  he  was  never  once  tempted 
to  send  forth  the  call  of  the  wounded  which  would  rally  his 
friends  about  him.  House  pet  though  he  was,  he  had 
chosen  to  go  forth  into  life's  wilderness  to  fight  as  the  lone 
wolf,  and  like  the  lone  wolf  he  met  his  fate  in  silence. 

Of  course  there  was  work  for  him  in  San  Francisco, 
plenty  of  work ;  there  is  not  a  spot  of  ground  on  earth  which 
does  not  woo  its  worker ;  but  always  objective  Opportunity 
was  veiled,  and  always  Phil  Lytton  lacked  the  subjective 


ALACKOFARMOR  139 

knowledge  which  would  have  taught  him  how  to  embrace 
her.  One  day  he  would  be  offered  a  job,  the  conditions  of 
which  seemed  more  irksome  than  he  could  bear,  until  fur- 
ther search  proved  that  he  could  do  no  better.  He  would 
return  to  accept  the  place,  and  find  it  taken  by  a  man  bet- 
ter able  to  fill  it  than  himself,  and  he  would  take  up  his 
quest,  sinking  lower  and  lower  in  his  estimate  of  himself 
and  his  demands  in  the  matter  of  employment.  In  his 
planless  search  through  the  great  city,  he  stumbled  upon, 
without  knowing  it,  all  the  facts  which  make  political 
economy  under  Capitalism  so  fascinating  a  study,  and  so 
hellish  a  practice.  He  was  not  in  a  position  to  do  either, 
and  so  he  staggered  on  with  his  sensitive  boy-nature  vainly 
attempting  to  develop  a  callous  which  would  protect  it 
from  the  rough  blows  and  scratches  so  freely  given  it. 

At  first  with  surprise  and  then  with  chagrin  he  discov- 
ered that  it  required  either  influence  or  organization  to  pro- 
cure even  the  meanest  job.  He  found  labor  unions  cold 
and  forbidding,  he  found  the  Society  of  Native  Sons  haughty 
and  arrogant,  and  he  found  jobs  which  at  one  time  he  would 
have  thought  no  white  man  would  accept,  reserved  for  the 
friend  of  a  friend.  • 

On  the  morning  upon  which  hunger  arrived  to  gloat  over 
the  fact  that  poverty  was  already  in  possession,  he  started 
forth  with  his  mind  fully  resigned  to  accept  any  sort  of 
work  which  offered.  Edith  would  have  said  that  the 
moustache  upon  his  lip,  the  unbrushed  condition  of  his 
clothing,  and  his  soiled  linen  constituted  the  great  change 
which  had  taken  place  in  him  since  he  went  away  without 
telling  her  good-bye ;  but  Edith  would  have  been  wrong. 

This  simple  acceptance  of  circumstances,  and  his  grim 
determination  to  make  the  best  of  them  without  any  reser- 


I4o        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

vation  by  his  individual  tastes  and  prejudices,  marked  the 
full  and  complete  change  which  had  taken  place;  and  al- 
ready his  quest  had  brought  him  trophies  whose  value  it 
would  take  him  years  to  fully  appreciate. 


CHAPTER  THIRTEEN 

THE   LONE  DAMSEL   APPEARS 

IT  is  silly  to  be  despondent:  everything  will  receive  expert 
attention  as  soon  as  we  get  around  to  it.  Some  day  a  suffi- 
ciently large  ego  will  become  so  thoroughly  disgusted  with 
trying  to  make  his  meaning  clear  that  he  will  seriously  con- 
sider the  collection  of  odds  and  ends  which  we  call  lan- 
guage. The  result  will  be  that  language  will  be  dragged 
into  the  laboratory  for  complete  examination.  There  can 
be  but  one  outcome  to  this ;  the  revolutionary  and  scientific 
remodeling  of  the  language  into  a  smoothly-working  whole 
which  will  be  rigid  and  accurate. 

In  addition  to  the  type  which  usually  busies  itself  in  the 
affairs  of  a  written  language,  it  would  be  well  to  have  a 
mechanical  engineer,  an  imaginative  mathematician,  and  a 
chemist  of  high  degree  upon  the  board  which  is  finally  to 
give  us  a  language  fit  to  work  with.  The  engineer  would 
insist  upon  the  greatest  amount  of  energy  from  the  smallest 
number  of  parts ;  the  mathematician  would  be  fitted  to  look 
after  the  orthography,  as  he  would  refuse  to  have  more 
than  one  character  for  a  sound,  or  more  than  one  sound 
for  a  character ;  the  chemist  would  know  the  danger  of  mix- 
ing discordant  elements,  and  he  could  attend  to  packing 
only  one  meaning  in  each  word,  while  the  lexicographers 
could  stand  around  and  weep  as  they  saw  their  curious 
relics  melted  into  material  for  genuine  words. 

141 


i42        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

To-day,  we  sometimes  crowd  so  many  emotions  into  one 
word  that  it  resembles  a  pocket  book  attempting  to  hold 
the  weekly  wash  on  its  way  to  the  laundry.  Take  the  word 
"  Love,"  for  instance.  What  does  love  mean,  all  by  itself 
and  with  nothing  on  but  its  skin?  From  the  love  of  God 
to  the  love  of  a  dog  there  are  a  good  many  descending 
steps,  and  we  really  need  a  word  for  each  step.  It  is  all 
right  to  mix  metaphors  if  it  is  done  in  a  spirit  of  semi- 
serious  gaiety,  but  it  is  criminal  to  mix  distinct  emotions  in 
one  word. 

Phil  walked  all  that  day  with  hunger  gnawing  at  his 
vitals.  There  was  no  other  word  for  it,  and  so  he  called  it 
hunger.  He  had  never  before  experienced  such  a  gripping, 
haunting,  spurring  sensation;  and  yet  he  had  lightly  taken 
it  for  granted  that  all  through  his  sunny,  luxurious  past, 
hunger  had  waited  upon  him  three  or  four  times  each  day 
with  the  suggestion  that  it  was  time  to  take  a  little  nourish- 
ment. 

All  day  as  he  walked,  he  seemed  to  be  transmuting  the 
social  part  of  his  person  into  that  which  was  purely  the 
product  of  nature.  His  senses  became  keener,  his  sensitive- 
ness lost  its  edge;  he  no  longer  felt  a  repugnance  for  the 
filth  of  the  cheap  lunch  rooms.  Instead,  the  thought  of 
the  greasy  food  served  there  filled  his  mouth  with  water, 
and  his  mind  with  wild  schemes  for  rushing  in,  seizing 
what  he  wanted,  and  knocking  down  all  who  dared  to  op- 
pose him.  Hunger  knows  no  law,  as  political  governments 
would  do  well  to  remember.  To-day  in  every  hovel  and  in 
every  slum  hunger  is  preaching  the  propaganda  of  indus- 
trial liberty,  with  convincing  eloquence. 

Phil  crept  to  his  room  late  that  night  without  having 
tasted  a  bit  of  food  all  that  day,  and,  to  his  surprise,  he 


THE    LONE    DAMSEL  143 

promptly  fell  asleep.  It  was  natural  body-hunger  which 
was  besetting  him,  and  not  the  nagging  palate-whimpering 
which  robs  the  dyspeptic  of  rest.  If  he  dreamed,  he  did 
not  know  it,  but  twice  during  the  night,  he  sprang  from  his 
bed  and  awakened  to  find  himself  crouching  in  the  center  of 
the  room  with  clenched  hands  and  set  teeth,  as  though  pre- 
pared to  meet  an  enemy  —  or  to  leap  upon  his  prey.  Truly, 
hunger  is  a  dangerous  invader  with  the  menacing  trick  of 
recruiting  a  following  from  among  the  very  citizens  who 
W7ould,  without  his  leadership,  remain  loyal  and  patriotic. 

At  dawn,  Phil  arose  and  again  took  up  the  ancient  trail 
which  leads  its  winding  way  back  to  the  blood-smeared 
caves  of  our  hairy  ancestors.  But  there  is  still  a  compe- 
tition among  those  who  mop  the  floors,  clean  the  spit- 
toons, and  polish  the  brasses  in  even  the  lowest  saloons ; 
and  again,  Phil  passed  the  day  without  food.  At  every 
turn,  voices  would  whisper,  "  Sell  the  watch,  sell  the  watch, 
sell  the  watch  " ;  but  his  father  had  carried  the  watch,  and 
the  few  remaining  threads  which  held  him  to  any  pretence 
of  social  responsibility  were  not  threads  of  reason,  but  of 
sentiment. 

When  night  fell,  a  strange,  quiet  fierceness  took  posses- 
sion of  him,  and  with  unwearying  footsteps,  and  bright, 
eager  eyes  he  prowled  about  the  darker  streets  with  the 
oddly  comforting  conviction  that  in  a  short  time  he  would 
fight;  fight  with  a  luxurious,  brutal,  absorbing  rage,  and 
that  in  some  unreasonable  way  this  would  give  him  food. 
He  did  not  attempt  to  make  this  obsession  reasonable,  he 
merely  walked  with  light  footfalls  and  kept  his  eyes  alert. 

It  never  occurred  to  him  to  beg;  he  had  none  of  the 
pauper  in  his  make-up,  and  while  he  was  willing  to  work 
for  food,  and  rather  anxious  to  fight  for  it,  there  was  no 


144        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

germ  within  his  nature  to  spring  into  life  and  bid  him  ask 
for  it.  It  is  hard  to  imagine  a  personality  less  fitted  to 
carry  through  Phil  Lytton's  quest,  than  Phil  Lytton  him- 
self. 

It  was  nearly  ten  when  he  turned  into  Market  Street  from 
Larkin  and  walked  aimlessly  toward  the  bay.  He  entered 
the  brilliantly  lighted  zone  and  asked  himself  what  could 
possibly  attract  him  there;  but  still  he  continued  to  keep  a 
sharp  watch,  and  still  his  muscles  held  that  peculiar  readi- 
ness, which  must  add  so  greatly  to  feline  content. 

Presently  he  noticed  a  woman  gazing  into  a  window  of 
prints.  She  was  well-dressed,  of  slender  figure,  auburn 
hair,  and  a  slightly  Jewish  cast  of  countenance.  The  fem- 
inine lure  meant  nothing  to  Phil  in  his  present  state,  and  he 
was  about  to  pass  her  without  curiosity,  when  a  flashily 
dressed  man  strolled  up  to  the  window.  She  did  not  glance 
at  him,  but  from  the  quick  start  she  gave,  it  was  evident 
that  he  had  spoken  to  her. 

Phil  reduced  his  pace  instinctively,  and  saw  her  turn 
from  the  window  and  start  in  the  direction  of  the  Palace 
Hotel,  with  the  man  walking  close  to  her  and  speaking  in 
a  low  tone.  There  were  other  pedestrians  near,  but,  as  is 
usual  in  San  Francisco,  so  intent  upon  their  own  pleasure 
that  they  wasted  little  attention  upon  those  about  them. 
Phil  could  not  have  explained  his  own  feelings :  he  felt 
neither  sympathy  with  the  girl,  nor  hatred  for  the  man ; 
but  there  swelled  within  his  breast  a  sudden  passion  to  sink 
his  fingers  into  the  man's  throat,  to  jerk  him  this  way  and 
that,  to  finally  strangle  him  and  hurl  him  to  the  pavement. 
He  cared  nothing  for  the  result;  the  part  of  him  which 
would  have  remained  sane  even  in  madness  knew  that  his 
quarrel  was  with  man,  not  a  man,  and  that  any  other  in- 


THE    LONE    DAMSEL  145 

dividual  would  have  been  offered  with  equal  thankfulness 
in  the  sacrifice  to  hate. 

With  a  quick,  soft,  beast-like  leap,  he  reached  the  man's 
side,  whirled  him  about  by  the  shoulder  and  stared  into  his 
eyes,  his  hooked  fingers  on  a  level  with  his  chest.  The  eyes 
of  the  flashily  dressed  man  were  hot  with  angry  indignation, 
but  when  they  met  Phil's  glittering  orbs,  the  defiance  died 
from  them  and  his  face  became  pale  and  flabby.  The  man 
was  not  a  conqueror  with  passions  primitively  free ;  he  was 
merely  an  urban  degenerate,  and  the  lawless  glare  in  Phil 
Lytton's  eyes  was  the  same  flame  which  has,  throughout  the 
ages,  burned  paralyzing  fantasies  of  fear  into  the  head,  the 
uneasy  head,  which  wears  the  crown. 

Phil's  lips  parted  with  a  wolfish  grin  as  he  prepared  to 
clutch  the  man's  throat,  but  with  a  quick,  firm  movement, 
the  girl  laid  her  hand  upon  his  wrist,  and  said  in  a  low 
tone,  "  Do  not  make  a  scene.  Let  him  go.  Please  do  not 
make  a  scene !  " 

Phil  looked  into  her  eyes,  bright,  dark,  and  courageous. 
They  were  wonderfully  beautiful  eyes,  and  their  magnetism 
penetrated  his  fury  and  called  to  his  normal  character. 
The  response  was  slow;  his  atavistic  paroxysm  had  taken 
Phil  back  to  the  age  of  fingernails  and  teeth,  and  primitive 
man  was  not  a  cavalier.  He  made  a  guttural  noise  of  sullen 
compliance  and  let  his  fists  fall  to  his  sides,  but  still  kept 
his  eyes  upon  those  of  the  frightened  and  embarrassed  fop. 
"  Don't  say  a  word,"  growled  Phil  in  a  voice  which  he  him- 
self, failed  to  recognize ;  "  but  get  out  o'  here  as  fast  as  you 
can." 

The  man  turned  and  hurried  away,  in  all  probability  to 
seek  satisfaction  for  his  wounded  vanity  by  oppressing,  be- 
yond his  usual  degree,  whatever  silly  weakling  it  was  who 


146        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

owed  him  allegiance;  for  thus  it  is  that  such  creatures  are 
accustomed  to  take  revenge. 

Phil  watched  the  man's  retreating  back  and  felt  that  in 
some  subtile  way  he  had  been  robbed.  This  was  not  the  an- 
ticipated fight  which  had  cheered  him  during  the  evening, 
and  yet  he  felt  sure  that  it  was  meant  to  be,  and  that  the  girl 
had  made  him  appear  foolish. 

"  I  want  to  thank  you,"  she  said  and  hesitated  as  she 
studied  his  face.  "  You  have  put  me  under  many  obliga- 
tions, both  in  driving  the  creature  off,  and  in  doing  so  with- 
out making  a  scene." 

Phil  looked  coldly  into  her  face.  "  Three  times  you  have 
used  that  expression  and  so  you  must  mean  it ;  but  I  rather 
wanted  to  make  a  scene.  I  wanted  to  throttle  him,  to 
trample  him,  to  crush  him.  I  have  been  hunting  for  him 
all  the  evening,  and  am  disappointed  to  be  turned  from  my 
purpose  so  easily." 

At  the  sound  of  his  voice  the  girl  gave  a  perceptible 
start  and  her  brows  drew  together  in  concentration  as  she 
tried  to  force  her  memory  to  recall  the  conditions  under 
which  she  had  heard  that  voice  before ;  for  she  was  almost 
certain  she  had  heard  it.  Phil  had  not  shaved  for  three 
days;  he  was  wearing  a  rough  flannel  shirt  and  a  battered 
soft  hat,  but,  in  answering  her,  his  voice  had  resumed  its 
wonted  inflections,  and  its  contrast  with  his  disheveled 
garb  did  not  escape  her. 

"  And  so  it  was  merely  a  personal  quarrel  ? "  she  said 
with  a  note  of  disappointment.  "  I  gave  you  credit  for 
being  chivalrous;  but  I  can,  at  least,  thank  you  for  in- 
tervening when  you  did." 

"  It  was  not  a  personal  quarrel,"  said  Phil  gruffly.  "  I 
never  saw  him  before  and  I  doubt  if  I  should  know  him  if 


THE    LONE    DAMSEL  147 

we  met  again.  I  have  a  general  quarrel  with  the  world, 
and  he  seemed  a  fit  object  to  receive  the  brunt  of  it." 

Now,  she  knew  that  she  had  heard  the  voice  before,  and 
yet  she  was  unable  to  remember  when  or  where.  Evi- 
dently this  was  a  man  who  had  seen  better  days,  and  it  was 
probable  that  she  had  met  him,  perhaps  in  a  business  way, 
before  he  had  commenced  this  "general  quarrel  with  the 
world." 

"  I  should  like  to  prove  my  thankfulness  in  some  sub- 
stantial way,  if  there  is  any  favor  I  can  do  for  you." 

Phil  smiled:  here  was  his  supper,  here  was  the  non- 
sensical ending  which  his  silly  day  dream  had  pictured  as 
something  worthy  and  picturesque.  He  had  only  to  tell 
her  that  he  was  hungry  and  she  would  give  him  a  dollar 
and  he  would  go  out  of  her  life  as  abruptly  as  he  had 
come  in.  No  one  would  ever  know  of  it,  and  she  would 
receive  ample  value  in  the  story  she  could  tell  her  friends. 
It  was  quite  simple;  not  one  thing  to  hold  him  from  sat- 
isfying the  gnawing  hunger,  which  had  again  awakened 
at  the  prospect  of  food ;  nothing,  except  that  queer  private 
code  which  tradition  and  training  had  given  into  his  hands 
as  the  peculiar  commission  under  which  he  must  sail. 

He  shook  his  head.  "  I  think  there  is,  at  present,  no  favor 
which  you  have  the  power  to  confer ;  but  do  not  feel  under 
the  slightest  obligations.  It  was  merely  an  impulse  on  my 
part,  and  seeing  his  cowardly  face  change  has  been 
recompense  enough." 

Phil  tried  to  say  this  lightly,  but  his  deep-set,  glittering  eyes 
and  gray  pallor,  now  that  the  reaction  had  set  in,  did  not 
lend  themselves  readily  to  the  pretence  of  ease,  and  the 
girl  felt  that  he  was  suffering;  and  then  the  truth  dawned 
upon  her  —  that  he  was  hungry.  This  seemed  to  suggest  a 


148        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

simple  way  to  pay  her  debt  to  him,  and  also  an  additional 
opportunity  to  learn  where  she  had  heard  his  voice  before. 
She  was  a  girl  of  fine  courage  and  whimsical  independence. 

"  I  am  a  stranger  in  San  Francisco,  and  I  am  curious 
to  see  the  parts  of  it  which  an  ordinary  tourist  does  not 
see.  I  have  a  proposition  which  I  should  like  to  discuss 
with  you ;  is  there  not  a  restaurant  near  where  we  can  get 
something  to  eat  and  go  into  my  plan  ?  It  would  be  a  great 
kindness  to  me  if  you  would  agree  to  it." 

Phil's  code  and  his  hunger  threw  themselves  upon  the 
suggestion  at  the  same  time.  The  code  said,  If  it  were 
not  for  your  beastly  appetite  it  would  be  a  fine  adventure. 
Hunger  said,  If  it  were  not  for  the  vanity  of  your  standards 
you  could  dine  very  pleasantly;  which  proves  that  our 
various  personalities  are  as  inconsistent  as  our  neighbors, 
and  in  many  cases,  even  more  of  a  bother.  All  of  his  old 
friends  appeared  before  Phil's  vision  in  a  flash,  and  in  the 
fraction  of  a  flash  he  saw  exactly  how  each  would  judge  the 
situation,  but  all  the  time  hunger  was  filling  his  mouth  with 
warm  saliva,  and  the  stomach  of  him  seemed  like  a  jungle 
beast  pacing  its  cage. 

"  It  does  not  require  a  licensed  guide  to  find  a  restau- 
rant in  this  village,"  he  answered  at  last,  making  a  des- 
perate effort  to  throw  a  veil  over  his  needs ;  "  and  if  you 
really  wish  it,  I  am  at  liberty  to  listen  to  your  plans." 

"  Then  come  along,"  said  the  girl  with  blithe  good  fel- 
lowship. 

"  We  shall  have  to  compromise  upon  the  selection,"  said 
Phil  looking  her  squarely  in  the  eyes  and  for  the  first  time, 
smiling  frankly.  "  There  is  no  restaurant  which  would 
suit  both  our  costumes,  but  there  is  an  Italian  place  not 


THE    LONEDAMSEL  149 

too  far  from  here  which  is  clean  and  queer,  and  where  we 
shall  not  even  be  noticed." 

They  walked  along  in  silence,  each  mind  intent  upon  its 
own  thoughts.  Phil  thought  that  he  understood  the  girl's 
position  well  enough  to  play  into  her  hand,  give  her  an 
honest  return  for  her  money,  and  himself  a  pleasant  in- 
cident upon  which  to  look  back  after  he  had  safely  reached 
the  promised  land  which  each  one  of  us  believes  lies  just 
beyond  our  wilderness.  He  decided  that  she  had  read  and 
studied  much,  had  traveled  considerably,  and  had  been  used 
to  the  society  of  men  who  had  treated  her  with  friendly 
consideration,  instead  of  courtly  condescension  which  is  the 
best  most  women  ever  hope  for.  If  he  had  not  been  so 
miserably  and  insistently  hungry,  the  oddness  of  the  situa- 
tion would  have  impressed  him  more  than  it  did. 

His  estimate  of  the  girl  was  correct :  she  had  read  widely, 
studied  deeply,  and  what  is  more  important,  had  learned 
to  reflect  and  meditate.  She  had  well  seasoned  theories 
upon  questions  whose  solution  generally  seems  a  matter  of 
small  moment  to  girls  of  her  age  and  class.  She  was  about 
twenty-five,  and  her  large,  dark  eyes  and  auburn  hair  gave 
her  a  charm  far  above  mere  physical  beauty.  She  felt 
that  Phil  must  have  committed  a  crime;  there  seemed  no 
other  explanation  for  a  man  of  his  type  being  in  his  pres- 
ent condition.  She  had  her  own  attitude  toward  crime 
also,  and  the  mere  fact  that  a  man  was  a  criminal  did  not 
prejudice  her  against  him;  it  rather  increased  her  interest 
in  him.  She  liked  both  Phil's  voice  and  face. 

Phil  led  the  way  down  Market  to  Kearny,  and  up  this 
to  Pacific  Avenue  almost  without  speaking.  He  walked 
slowly  so  that  she  would  not  think  him  hungry ;  but  all  the 


ISO        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

time  he  wanted  to  seize  her  by  the  arm  and  run,  to  pour 
out  his  remaining  strength  in  an  effort  which  would  bring 
them  the  more  quickly  to  where  his  brute  hunger  could  be 
appeased.  He  was  still  filled  with  surprise  at  his  own  con- 
dition. He  had  always  supposed  that  hunger  brought 
weakness,  but  never  had  he  felt  so  strong  before. 

He  walked  a  short  distance  up  Pacific,  turned  into  a 
queer  little  street,  and  finally  opened  the  door  of  what 
seemed  to  be  a  private  dwelling.  He  had  chanced  upon  it 
when  his  money  was  just  beginning  to  run  low  and  had 
found  the  atmosphere  full  of  soothing  companionship. 
There  is  almost  no  opportunity  for  impersonal  giving  in 
conventional  society,  but  the  ones  who  dined  at  this  demo- 
cratic table  poured  forth  their  mirth,  melody,  and  serious 
criticism  of  public  affairs  with  all  the  abstract  generosity 
of  a  mountain  spring.  Also  there  were  several  little  al- 
coves where  one  could  draw  the  curtain  and  be  entirely 
apart. 

There  were  four  men  —  as  widely  assorted  as  to  type 
and  age  as  the  small  number  permitted  —  in  earnest  con- 
versation with  one  girl  who  seemed  to  thoroughly  enjoy 
her  popularity  and  to  keep  up  her  share  of  the  conversa- 
tion with  will  and  vigor.  They  were  eating  cakes  and 
cheese  and  drinking  Chianti;  but  they  did  not  stare  at  the 
newcomers,  merely  an  upward  glance  to  see  if  they  were 
to  be  joined  by  friends,  and  then  they  resumed  their  dis- 
cussion with  that  admirable  poise  which  can  only  be 
achieved  through  high  breeding  or  natural  simplicity. 

Phil  drew  the  curtain  to  one  of  the  alcoves,  and  the  girl 
entered  with  the  light  of  adventure  dancing  in  her  eyes. 
He  excused  himself  and  went  down  the  hall  to  the  spick, 
span  and  immaculate  kitchen.  Enrico  and  Madame  —  it 


THE    LONE    DAMSEL  151 

was  always  Enrico  and  Madame  —  were  playing  a  game 
of  cards  while  waiting  for  their  midnight  guests.  They 
gave  Phil  a  pleasant  welcome,  and  he  ordered  a  repast 
which  gave  him  a  new  standing  with  them,  and  then  he 
begged  the  use  of  Enrico's  razor.  No  request  ever  came 
as  a  surprise  to  this  couple  nor  was  one  refused  without 
overpowering  reasons,  and  in  a  few  moments  Phil  re- 
turned making  a  decidedly  improved  appearance.  His; 
hair  and  moustache  were  neatly  combed  and  the  rest  of  his 
face  clean  and  smooth. 

The  girl  looked  at  him  critically,  and  she  recognized 
him,  with  a  little  gasp  of  astonishment;  she  recognized  him 
as  Phil  Lytton  of  New  York;  but  with  remarkable  reserve, 
she  merely  nodded  friendly  approval  of  his  improved  ap- 
pearance. 

Luckily  for  Phil,  the  time  consumed  in  shaving  was 
equal  to  that  necessary  for  the  preparation  of  the  first 
course,  and  scarcely  had  he  returned  before  Madame  ar- 
rived with  the  soup.  He  tried  to  eat  with  decent  repres- 
sion but  the  deep  eyes  of  the  girl  twinkled  with  enjoyment 
as  she  saw  his  appetite  straining  at  the  leash  of  his  re- 
straint. 

But  she  did  not  seem  to  notice  him.  Instead  she  ate  her 
own  thick  soup  with  zest,  and  when  the  plate  was  emptied, 
raised  her  eyes  to  Phil's  in  frank  friendliness,  and  said 
with  a  laugh.  "  What  delicious  soup,  and  how  clean  every- 
thing is  here.  I  am  too  hungry  to  have  any  manners;  so 
we  '11  busy  ourselves  with  the  food,  and  then  talk  in  com- 
fort." 

"  Utter  heresy,"  protested  Phil  with  returning  spirit. 
"  If  thou  wouldst  have  good  digestion,  eat  slowly,  laugh 
easily,  but  speak  no  word  of  business  at  table." 


iS2        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  Hunger  knows  no  law,"  she  retorted,  as  Madame 
brought  in  the  next  course. 

In  reflecting  upon  the  baneful  truth  thus  lightly  spoken, 
Phil  forgot  entirely  the  presence  of  the  speaker  until  he 
leaned  back  in  his  chair  with  a  sigh  of  relief  and  mechanic- 
ally felt  in  his  pocket  for  a  cigarette.  All  through  the 
meal  she  had  been  watching  him,  but  now  her  eyes  were  in- 
tent upon  arranging  a  bit  of  cheese  upon  a  piece  of  hard 
cracker.  She  glanced  up  in  time  to  catch  the  movement; 
but  did  not  speak  until  Phil  had  reached  for  his  coffee. 

"  Won't  you  please  smoke  a  cigarette  ?  "  she  asked  in- 
nocently. "  They  seem  absolutely  necessary  to  finish  a  din- 
ner like  this,  and  I  have  not  acquired  the  art,  myself." 

"  I  have  none  with  me,"  replied  Phil,  laying  an  un- 
deceiving accent  upon  the  last  two  words. 

"  Well,  you  can  get  them  here,  can't  you  ?  And  by  the 
way,  I  wish  that  you  would  tend  to  the  paying." 

She  deftly  thrust  her  purse  into  his  hand,  and  then 
clapped  her  own  hands  together  with  a  quick,  emotional 
gesture.  "Oh,  I  have  enjoyed  this  so  much!  All  my  life 
I  have  longed  for  an  adventure,  and  this  is  the  nearest  I 
have  ever  come  to  one." 

The  touch  of  the  purse  was  repulsive  to  Phil.  It  out- 
raged his  beloved  vanity  almost  beyond  endurance,  but,  as 
she  had  intended,  the  girl's  words  supplied  him  with  the 
very  argument  needed;  and  his  own  body  was  returning 
such  earnest  thanks  for  the  concessions  he  had  already 
made  that  when  Madame  came  to  clear  away  the  empty 
plates  and  bring  fresh  coffee,  Phil  ordered  his  favorite 
brand  of  Egyptians,  and  his  delight  at  finding  them  in  stock 
removed  the  last  vestige  of  rebellion  which  his  pride  was 
attempting  to  arouse. 


THE    LONE    DAMSEL  153 

Man  is  the  only  animal  which  transforms  eating  into  a 
religious  rite,  raises  the  cook  to  the  dignity  of  a  priest,  and 
then  spoils  the  full  effect  of  his.  worship  through  lack  of 
a  fitting  preparation  for  the  ceremonial.  In  Phil's  case  the 
preparation  had  been  ideal:  for  many  days  he  had  eaten 
sparingly  and  for  over  fifty  hours  he  had  eaten  nothing  at 
all,  except  the  stored-up  energy  of  his  own  body.  When 
one  is  young,  robust,  and  in  good  health,  the  eating  of  a 
skillfully  prepared  meal  is  the  working  of  a  miracle. 
The  entire  earth  changes:  dull  grays  become  rosy,  clank- 
ing discords  resolve  into  tinkling  silver  melody,  content 
seems  the  rightful  heritage  of  all  men,  and  morality  the 
natural  pathway  for  all  feet. 

In  spite  of  ridicule,  alchemy  is  a  reality  which  deserves 
more  attention  than  it  receives.  There  is  nothing  more 
simple  nor  more  practical  than  the  distilling  of  patriotism, 
family  affection,  and  brotherly  love  from  the  ordinary  food 
stuffs  which  this  land  is  able  to  raise  by  the  shipload;  and 
if  governments  have  any  claim '  whatever  to  a  continued 
existence,  it  is  their  ability  to  see  that  no  member  of  the 
race  ever  gets  more  than  a  day  or  so  behind  his  appetite. 
No  one  ever  heard  of  a  fat  anarchist. 

"And  now,"  said  Phil,  beaming  down  good  naturedly 
upon  the  girl,  "  I  am  ready  to  hear  your  proposition." 


CHAPTER  FOURTEEN 

AN   UNUSUAL  PROPOSITION 

AGES  of  legalized  authority  has  given  the  well-fed 
male  human  a  feeling  of  superiority  over  the  female,  which 
assumption  is  accepted  by  them  both  as  being  not  only 
logical  but  the  predestined  intention  of  their  Creator.  The 
cultivated  man  veils  his  condescension  with  flattery,  and 
feels  that  he,  at  least,  lives  up  to  the  onerous  responsibilities 
of  a  gentleman. 

This  is  all  right,  this  is  perfectly  just.  Liberty  is  a 
trophy  and  it  would  rob  it  of  its  chief  value  to  degrade  it 
into  a  gift.  No  liberty  was  ever  given  man:  all  that  he 
now  has  he  has  taken  by  the  right  of  might,  and  woman 
must  follow  the  same  stony  road.  She  is  entitled  to  all 
she  can  take  and  hold,  but  to  not  one  thing  more.  She  is 
beginning  to  understand  this  in  a  vague,  diffident  way ;  and, 
as  invariably  happens,  the  very  thought  of  conquest  has 
brought  with  it  a  new  strength  and  a  new  courage. 

All  through  the  past,  woman  has  come  asking  gifts,  and 
holding  out  her  body  as  a  reciprocal  offering.  She  has  fed 
her  hunger  upon  ideals,  has  heroically  striven  to  be  blind 
to  the  nasty  things  she  should  not  see,  has  scourged  herself 
with  self-denial,  has  drugged  herself  with  a  stupefying, 
formal  religion,  and  has  tried  with  all  her  heart  to  make 
herself  believe  that  maternity  was  the  one  and  only  means 

154 


AN   UNUSUAL    PROPOSITION     155 

by  which  the  feminine  nature  could  justify  its  existence; 
but  the  complications  of  modern  society  have  forced  woman 
into  the  world  as  the  master  of  her  own  person;  subject, 
of  course,  to  economic  restrictions,  by  which  man,  the 
law-maker,  has  handicapped  her,  and  she  has  found  the 
world  no  place  for  a  woman. 

Her  eyes  are  not  yet  seasoned  to  the  fierce,  raw  light 
and  many  ancient  things  perplex  and  startle  her.  She  is 
beginning  to  wonder  why  there  should  be  one  system  of 
morality  for  poor  men,  and  another  for  poor  women ;  why 
there  is  still  a  different  moral  code  for  rich  men,  as  well 
as  a  morality  for  rich  women  distinguishable  from  all  the 
others.  She  has  found  that  reasoning  with  her  own  brain 
is  much  more  profitable  than  merely  believing  what  one  is 
told,  and  she  is  demanding  facts,  naked  facts,  and  she  is 
looking  at  them  critically  without  feeling  ashamed.  The 
cheapness  of  her  labor  power  as  compared  with  man's,  has 
thrust  her  into  the  world,  and  she  will  do  one  of  two  things 
—  she  will  either  become,  like  man,  an  un-moral  creature, 
or  else  she  will  clean  up  the  world  and  make  of  it  a  decent 
dwelling  place.  Whichever  course  she  pursues,  she  prom- 
ises to  add  much  to  masculine  responsibilities. 

The  girl  upon  whom  Phil  Lytton,  from  the  height  of  hisi 
well-fed  content,  was  beaming  good-naturedly,  was  a  girl 
with  an  unusual  mind  and  with  unique  opportunities  for 
giving  this  mind  an  adequate  outlet.  She  had  received  a 
man's  education,  she  had  been  her  father's  only  confidant, 
she  had  been  permitted  to  independently  exercise  her  own 
faculties,  and  she  had  managed  her  own  large  fortune  for 
several  years  with  a  success  which  had  given  her  confidence. 
A  great  change  would  have  taken  place  in  Phil's  smile  if 
he  had  known  upon  whom  it  was  directed ;  for  the  girl  who 


i56        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

sat  across  the  table  from  him  was  Miriam  Meyer,  daugh- 
ter of  his  former  agent 

Nathan  Meyer  was  a  strong  man :  the  very  repose,  which 
is  invariably  the  habitual  condition  of  great  strength,  de- 
ceived most  of  his  acquaintances  into  thinking  him  rather 
a  mild,  harmless  sort  of  person;  but  beneath  his  external 
calm  the  desires  of  his  nature  remained  keen,  alert,  and 
powerful.  He  had  longed  for  a  son ;  but,  instead,  had  been 
given  a  daughter  who  had  cost  the  life  of  her  mother,  and 
had  put  Nathan  into  rebellion  against  Fate  itself.  He  had 
loved  his  wife  with  all  his  heart,  and  there  was  no  love  left 
for  the  girl-child. 

He  provided  her  with  every  care,  but  for  the  first  years 
of  her  life  he  felt  toward  her  a  species  of  resentment 
which  at  times  was  close  to  hatred.  What  she  had 
eventually  won  in  the  matter  of  affection,  had  been  won 
upon  her  own  merit;  and  this  held  her  to  a  high  standard. 
She  did  not  humbly  beg  for  a  love  which  was  not  hers; 
instead,  she  decided  that  the  love  of  her  father  was  well 
worth  the  winning;  she  studied  him;  at  first  with  the  shy 
secretiveness  of  a  child,  but  later  with  the  true  spirit  of  in- 
vestigation which  draws  its  conclusions  from  experiment 
alone.  In  time  she  became  Nathan's  entire  life ;  no  act  of 
his  but  made  of  her  its  center;  in  everything,  save  in  the 
small  matter  of  sex,  she  was  his  son,  without,  however, 
losing  for  a  moment  the  subtile  charm  of  a  daughter. 

So  fully  did  he  trust  her,  so  uniformly  was  this  trust 
'vindicated,  that  even  the  gap  of  years  was  obliterated  be- 
tween them  and  they  were  friends,  companions,  chums. 
He  himself  was  not  aware  of  the  extent  to  which  she 
had  molded  him  to  her  younger,  broader  needs ;  he  only 
knew  that  in  her  his  youth  had  revived,  had  joined  itself 


AN    UNUSUAL    PROPOSITION     157 

to  the  eternal  youth  of  the  race  which  finds  its  natural  ex- 
pression in  progress,  and  in  return  for  her  part  in  deflecting 
the  varied  currents  of  life  so  that  they  again  gushed  through 
his  being,  he  extended  to  her  an  absolute  freedom  which 
was  contrary  to  both  his  traditions  and  theoretical  convic- 
tions. He  had  renounced  his  religion,  and  was  content  to 
drink  the  wine  of  his  own  philosophy,  pressed  as  it  was 
from  the  grapes  of  history's  fairest  vineyards. 

Miriam  had  not  yet  completed  her  individual  philosophy : 
the  young  hear  always  the  roving  call,  the  call  to  conquest 
and  adventure,  before  they  retire  within  their  innermost 
chambers  and  decide  which,  in  their  future  scheme  of  things, 
is  to  be  the  truth  and  which  the  compromise.  This  was 
the  girl  upon  whom  Phil  Lytton  was  smiling  good-naturedly, 
encouragingly,  complacently ;  for  Phil  was  a  man  and,  at 
least  potentially,  one  of  the  world's  regents. 

"  I  have  traveled  extensively,"  said  Miriam  after  a  pause ; 
"  but  always  before,  my  excursions  have  been  personally 
conducted.  It  is  like  the  reading  of  books,  the  author  is 
always  pointing  out  what  one  must  observe ;  and  I  am  weary 
of  it.  I  want  to  see  for  myself  and  think  for  myself,  and 
am  constantly  discovering  that  these  activities  are  not  for 
the  lone  woman.  Are  you  at  present  engaged  in  any  form 
of  business  ?  " 

She  spoke  in  even,  matter-of-fact  tones  which  had  much 
to  do  with  putting  Phil  in  a  position  to  make  an  independ- 
ent choice.  This  was  a  very  important  condition,  for  in 
spite  of  the  humming  content  of  his  body,  his  pride  was 
still  growling  at  having  been  forced  to  accept  money  from 
a  woman.  He  had  always  delighted  in  showering  women 
with  gifts  and  patronage,  and  had  never  suspected  that 
there  might,  at  times,  be  a  humiliating  phase  to  this  in  spite 


158        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

of  history's  age-long  endorsement  of  the  plan.  It  is  a  fine 
thing  for  a  man  to  be  thrown  flat  on  his  back  now  and 
again.  It  gives  him  an  entirely  new  viewpoint. 

"  No,"  he  answered  dryly,  "  I  am  not,  at  present,  engaged 
in  any  form  of  business." 

"What  I  wish,"  she  resumed  as  impersonally  as  though 
she  were  hiring  a  cab,  "  is  to  secure  the  services  of  a  man 
as  an  escort.  It  is  a  purely  business  proposition.  You 
would  think  nothing  of  manufacturing  articles  for  the  ex- 
clusive use  of  women;  if  you  were  in  the  hotel  or  trans- 
portation business  you  would  not  hesitate  to  cater  to  them ; 
but  because  my  proposition  is  unusual,  I  am  prepared  to 
have  you  refuse  it  in  disdain." 

Phil  did  not  reply :  he  was  thinking  rapidly,  of  the  Wil- 
son Public  Service  Company,  the  Hereford  Private  Service 
Company  —  and  of  his  own  lean  days  during  which  pride 
and  independence  had  become  but  as  the  soiled  finery  flung 
to  him  from  some  happier  estate. 

The  girl's  voice  was  cool  and  distant;  she  could  have  no 
ulterior  designs  upon  him;  she  was  merely  purchasing  his 
services  as  he  would  have  purchased  the  services  of  a 
barber  or  a  valet.  There  was  nothing  disgraceful  to  him 
in  the  matter  —  and  yet  it  seemed  to  be  the  surrender  of 
his  manhood. 

"  I  did  not  expect  you  to  jump  at  the  chance,"  she  said, 
looking  into  his  eyes  with  an  amused  smile ;  "  and  yet  I 
hope  you  will  accept  my  offer.  It  is  not  a  thing  which  one 
could  ask  of  a  friend,  nor  would  it  be  easy  to  find  a  suit- 
able man  who  could  afford  to  engage  in  work  which  must, 
perforce,  be  of  merely  a  temporary  nature.  Fate,  in  the 
person  of  a  masculine  flirt,  seems  to  have  thrown  us  to- 
gether. At  first,  I  did  not  think  you  would  do;  but  since 


AN    UNUSUAL    PROPOSITION     159 

you  have  shaved  I  have  decided  that  in  case  you  are  willing 
to  agree  to  my  terms,  you  will  suit  me  exactly." 

Since  he  had  shaved  —  Phil  felt  as  though  he  were  seek- 
ing employment  as  a  footman;  but  this  was  exactly  as  he 
would  have  it  in  case  he  decided  to  accept.  Argument  after 
argument,  in  favor  of  the  proposition,  came  to  him,  and 
against  them  he  had  nothing  to  offer  except  sentiment.  If 
one  admitted  the  purchasing  power  of  money  in  the  first 
place,  then  why  quibble  at  the  things  it  purchased?  A 
grim,  impish  cynicism,  born  of  his  recent  experience,  whis- 
pered with  a  grin  that  instead  of  hesitating  at  the  sale  of  his 
services  from  traditional  prejudice,  he  should  thank  fortune 
that  he  had  a  face  which  would  bear  shaving. 

"  I  shall  expect  you  to  accompany  me  wherever  I  wish 
to  go,  to  yield  to  my  whims  and  fancies  without  question; 
but  at  the  same  time  to  act  entirely  as  my  equal  while  in 
the  presence  of  others  — "  Phil  smiled  freely  at  the  frank 
assurance  of  this  remark  — "  to  pay  all  the  bills  and  make 
all  the  arrangements;  in  a  word  to  become,  while  in  my 
employ,  just  such  an  impersonal  creature  as  I  should  create 
for  my  own  convenience  if  I  had  the  power.  It  will  not 
be  so  very  irksome  for  you,  as  you  will  never  feel  that  you 
have  to  entertain  or  be  considerate  of  me,  as  you  would 
with  a  friend.  I  am  a  fair  judge  of  character,  and  I  feel 
that  I  do  not  overestimate  your  intelligence  when  I  infer 
that  you  will  understand  exactly  the  relationship  there  will 
be  between  us." 

"  Intelligence  — "  It  now  seemed  to  him  as  though  this 
word  should  be  reserved  for  bird-dogs,  horses,  and  similar 
creatures,  and  yet  he  could  distinctly  recall  that  when  en- 
gaging the  services  of  Wilson,  he  had  taken  comfort  in  the 
young  man's  apparent  intelligence. 


160        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  What  will  you  pay  ?  "  he  demanded. 

Not  a  flicker  crossed  the  girl's  face  and  yet  a  shout  of 
triumph  had  gone  forth  from  her  heart.  For  years  Phil 
Lytton  had  been  her  favorite  dream:  her  dream  but  not 
her  ideal,  for  he  lacked  the  strength,  the  purpose,  the  con- 
centration to  be  the  ideal  of  a  nature  so  full  of  ambition 
as  her  own.  In  her  dreams,  innocent  and  maidenly  though 
they  were,  she  had  been  always  near  to  him,  and  one  never 
gets  quite  on  terms  of  intimacy  with  an  ideal. 

"  I  had  not  decided  upon  the  minor  details,"  she  an- 
swered. "  I  want  everything  to  be  pleasant  on  both  sides 
and  am,  therefore,  willing  to  discuss  the  final  arrangements 
freely.  I  shall,  of  course,  pay  all  the  expenses  —  and  this 
must  include  whatever  clothing  you  will  need.  As  to  wages, 
how  would  —  say,  twenty-five  dollars  a  week,  do  ?  " 

"  For  about  how  long  would  you  want  to  hire  me  ? " 
asked  Phil,  entering  fully  into  the  spirit  of  the  situation. 

"  For  a  month  at  the  very  least." 

"  Would  the  clothes  belong  to  me  or  to  you,  after  you 
were  through  with  my  services  ?  " 

"  Why,  of  course,  they  would  belong  to  you." 

"  What  part  of  the  town  do  you  wish  to  study  ?  "  he 
asked,  as  the  thought  flashed  upon  him  that  decently 
clothed  he  again  ran  the  risk  of  embarrassment  from  the 
recognition  of  old  friends. 

"  The  rougher  parts,"  she  answered  at  once. 

"  Then  I  '11  take  the  position,"  he  replied,  as  he  remem- 
bered how  long  he  had  been  in  San  Francisco  already  with- 
out having  been  recognized,  and  what  a  change  in  his  ap- 
pearance his  moustache  had  made. 

"Where  are  you  stopping?"  she  asked. 

"  I  had  given  up  stopping,  entirely,"  he  answered  gayly. 


AN   UNUSUAL    PROPOSITION     161 

"  My  room  rent  ran  out  this  morning,  and  I  was  not  sure 
that  I  ever  should  stop  again.  Perhaps  you  did  not  notice 
it,  but  when  I  met  you  this  evening,  I  was  actually  hungry." 

"  I  did  not  notice  it,"  she  replied  coldly.  It  must  be 
made  apparent  at  the  very  start  that  this  was  a  purely 
formal  arrangement,  and  that  her  friendship  was  in  no 
way  involved,  nor  his  social  qualities  desired,  except  when 
others  were  present.  She  put  all  of  this  into  her  reply, 
and  the  red  crept  into  Phil's  face  until  it  seemed  to  blister. 

It  requires  especial  training  before  one  can  meekly  enjoy 
being  put  into  one's  place,  even  after  one  has  become  per- 
fectly resigned  to  filling  it. 


CHAPTER  FIFTEEN 

A   SHADY  BYPATH 

THE  frown  deepened  upon  Phil's  face  as  the  blush  receded ; 
but  before  he  had  reached  the  point  of  scornfully  refusing 
her  employment,  Miriam  looked  up  with  an  eager  smile, 
and  asked,  "  Is  there  not  some  place  we  could  go  to-night  ? 
This  has  been  very,  very  pleasant;  but  I  want  to  observe 
life  in  the  raw.  I  have  many  theories  of  my  own  which  I 
wish  to  verify." 

"  Life  in  the  raw,"  repeated  Phil  scornfully.  "  Have 
you  any  idea  what  life  in  the  raw  really  is?  What  kind  of 
theories  do  you  wish  to  verify  ?  " 

"  I  have  a  very  correct  conception  of  what  life  in  the 
raw,  really  is,  I  think,"  she  replied  firmly.  "  You  need 
not  worry  about  shocking  me.  I  know  that  both  men  and 
women  are  inclined  to  be  profane  and  obscene,  and  that  a 
trace  of  vulgarity  is  a  necessary  part  of  every  human  being. 
With  some  of  us  it  becomes  chastened  during  childhood, 
but  in  many  cases  it  develops  to  a  dominating  trait.  I 
am  studying  society ;  I  want  to  dissect  it  as  I  have  already 
the  human  body  in  studying  anatomy.  Whatever  is  here, 
whatever  is  true,  I  wish  to  know.  I  am  not  so  much  in- 
terested in  individual  degeneracy,  just  now,  as  I  am  in  the 
debauchery,  which,  under  the  guise  of  pleasure,  seems  to 
appeal  to  large  numbers  of  my  fellow  creatures." 

Phil  was  very  ill  at  ease:  he  had  never  learned  to  talk 

162 


A    SHADY    BYPATH  163 

with  women  as  with  men,  and  he  felt  very  like  a  little  boy 
being  told  things  he  must  not  do.  Phil  was  one  of  the 
kind  who  might  at  intervals  yield  to  a  sudden  desire  for 
mischievous  amusement;  but  from  his  ordinary  conversa- 
tion, one  would  suppose  that  he  was  not  aware  that  any 
form  of  licentiousness  existed  in  the  world,  and  if  he 
should  chance  to  discover  any,  he  would  immediately  take 
steps  to  abolish  it.  This  was  not  really  hypocrisy;  it  was 
merely  the  result  of  polite  breeding. 

"  There  is  a  music  hall  just  off  Kearny  Street  on  our  way 
back.  We  might  start  in  with  that,"  he  said  in  a  tone  which 
was  intended  to  convey  his  disapproval  in  a  manner  en- 
tirely consistent  with  his  peculiar  position.  Miriam  ap- 
preciated this  accurate  discrimination  and  it  afforded  her 
much  joy. 

"  That  will  do  nicely.  It  is  nearly  midnight ;  pay  the 
bill  and  let  us  hurry.  By  the  way,  what  shall  I  call  you  ?  " 

"  Lenord  Latham,"  replied  Phil  with  no  more  hesita- 
tion than  his  apparent  search  for  the  purse  seemed  to  oc- 
casion. "  How  do  you  wish  me  to  address  you  ?  " 

"  Do  you  speak  French  ?  " 

"  Only  under  protest,  and  then  not  with  much  accuracy," 
replied  Phil,  opening  the  purse.  A  card  fell  from  it  and 
lay  upon  the  table  face  down.  Phil's  hand  started  toward 
it,  and  then  paused.  The  girl  picked  it  up,  hesitated  a 
moment  and  handed  it  to  him. 

"  You  may  call  me  that,"  she  said. 

The  name  on  the  card  was,  Mademoiselle  Valerie  Florian. 
Phil  read  it  aloud  in  a  low  tone.  "  I  think  you  can  speak 
French  quite  well  if  you  wish;  and  I  think  I  shall  make 
use  of  the  accomplishment.  Come,  let  us  go,"  said  Miriam 
rising. 


1 64        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Phil  paid  the  bill  and  bestowed  a  tip  which  would  give 
an  added  value  to  Enrico's  razor,  and  then  they  went  into 
the  street.  It  was  an  entirely  different  Phil  Lytton  who 
stopped  a  moment  as  he  closed  the  door,  and  drew  a  deep 
breath  as  his  eyes  swept  the  street  in  a  hasty  glance.  They 
had  been  in  the  building  an  hour  and  a  half,  but  it  seemed 
as  though  he  were  returning  from  a  long  journey. 

The  girl  at  his  side  walked  with  firm,  confident  steps, 
the  smile  upon  her  lips  indicating  that  there  was  no  divi- 
sion in  her  forces;  but  Phil  was  sadly  aware  of  his  own 
warring  members.  There  was  a  great,  tingling,  melodious 
peace  within  his  natural  body,  the  result  of  the  ample  meal 
which  had  given  opportunities  of  expression  to  all  his  di- 
gestive, circulatory,  and  assimulative  functions;  but  there 
was  rebellion  in  his  mind.  Now  that  the  hunger  was  gone 
completely,  it  did  not  seem  that  it  could  have  ever  spoken 
with  the  convincing  arguments  it  had  used  to  lure  him  into 
his  present  predicament,  and,  as  his  traditions  and  preju- 
dices began  to  reproach  him,  he  was  tempted  to  give  the 
girl  a  good  scolding,  take  her  to  her  hotel,  and  return  to  his 
search  for  work  and  food. 

In  all  probability,  Miriam  had  diagnosed  his  mental  state 
with  a  woman's  inherent  intuition.  She  did  not  speak 
until  they  had  turned  into  Kearny,  and  then  she  said  with 
the  quiet  finality  which  makes  difficult  the  reopening  of  a 
discussion :  "  I  wish  that  you  would  replenish  your  ward- 
robe the  first  thing  in  the  morning.  I  shall  look  for  an 
apartment  as  I  do  not  think  the  hotel  will  suit  me  during 
the  rest  of  my  stay  here.  What  part  of  the  city  is  the  most 
desirable  for  residence  at  this  season  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  really  know  very  much  about  the  residence 
part  of  the  city,"  replied  Phil,  gratefully  accepting  the  modi- 


A    SHADY    BYPATH  165 

cum  of  comfort  which  cynicism  offered  him.  "  You  see  I 
have  never  resided  here.  I  merely  came  here  to  see  if  the 
bracing  climate  would  not  stimulate  my  appetite." 

She  made  no  reply  to  this,  and  Phil  bit  his  lip  to  think 
that  he  had  again  been  tempted  into  giving  a  remark  the 
garnish  of  easy  conversation.  It  came  across  him  suddenly 
that  Edith  was  the  one  who  was  really  responsible  for  all 
the  discipline  which  Fate  and  this  strange  young  lady  were 
doling  out  to  him ;  and  he  shot  a  very  heated  thought  wave 
in  the  direction  of  New  York  City. 

"  Is  there  any  reason  why  it  is  dangerous  for  you  to  be 
recognized  ? "  asked  Miriam  after  they  had  walked  to- 
gether in  silence  for  a  time. 

"  No  danger  to  me,"  replied  Phil  shortly.  He  would 
expose  himself  to  no  more  jerks  if  he  could  possibly  avoid 
it. 

"  Then  I  wish  that  you  would  secure  clothes  adequate 
to  every  occasion." 

"  You  said  that  you  wished  to  see  the  parts  where  life 
was  served  in  the  raw,"  objected  Phil.  "  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  wear  evening  clothes  to  see  places  where  the  blood 
will  follow  the  knife,  both  literally  and  figuratively.  I  do 
not  wish  to  go  where  life  is  very  likely  to  be  done  to  a 
crisp." 

"  Still,  you  had  better  provide  evening  clothes  in  order 
to  be  prepared  for  every  emergency.  Life  done  to  a  crisp 
also  has  its  attraction  to  the  student." 

"  Nevertheless,  you  hired  me  as  an  escort  to  the  under- 
world only,"  rejoined  Phil  sullenly.  "  Twenty-five  dol- 
lars a  week,  ample  wage  though  it  be,  has  its  limitations." 

"  Then  I  shall  double  it,"  said  the  girl  promptly.  "  I  like 
not  limitations.  I  have  no  desire  for  the  merely  common- 


i66        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

place ;  so  you  will  not  often  need  the  evening  clothes ;  but 
I  do  not  want  to  be  hampered  in  any  way,  so  I  insist  that 
you  provide  yourself  with  a  complete  outfit." 

Phil  had  no  reply  at  hand.  He  was  not  in  a  position  to 
fit  himself  into  the  scheme  of  things  and  was  therefore  at 
a  great  disadvantage.  The  character  of  the  work  which  he 
had  agreed  to  do  irritated  him  sorely ;  but  he  had  accepted 
the  position  voluntarily  and  now  that  he  had  won  his 
first  strike,  it  seemed  that  he  was  bound,  in  some  way  by 
the  rules  of  the  game,  to  go  on  with  it.  He  felt  that  having 
once  entered  the  employ  of  the  very  eccentric  and  assured 
young  lady  at  his  side,  he  was  under  obligations  to  show 
her  deference  as  long  as  he  continued  to  fill  the  subor- 
dinate position;  and  he  was  also  bound  to  fill  the  position 
as  long  as  she  lived  up  to  her  side  of  the  contract.  In- 
wardly he  boiled  with  rage;  but  as  he  found  it  utterly 
impossible  to  focus  this  rage  upon  any  one  object,  he  en- 
deavored to  force  his  facial  muscles  into  the  cold,  distant, 
hurt,  humble,  trustworthy,  impersonal  expression  which  he 
acknowledged  to  be  among  the  incidental  details  included  in 
the  rental  of  a  body. 

It  was  putting  quite  a  noticeable  strain  upon  musclee 
which  had  heretofore  been  accustomed  to  purely  con- 
sistent and  automatic  action ;  and  though  her  own  face 
was  placid  the  heart  of  the  young  lady  was  singing  an  origi- 
nal Jubilate.  Altogether  it  was  a  peculiar  situation  and 
one  for  which  no  former  event  in  the  lives  of  either  had 
been  to  the  smallest  extent  in  the  nature  of  a  preparation. 
The  poise  of  the  female  and  the  perturbation  of  the  male 
adhered  strictly  to  the  parallels  dictated  by  the  psychology 
of  sex. 

There  is  a  vitalizing  stimulus  in  the  night  air  of  San 


A    SHADY    BYPATH  167 

Francisco:  the  salt-laden  breezes  sweep  in  from  their  long 
voyages,  which  start  in  the  far-off  Orient,  circle  the  queer, 
jumbled  streets  of  the  city,  picking  up  the  fragrance  of  love 
and  the  effluvium  of  passion,  mingling  all  together  and 
blowing  it  with  careless  mirth  into  the  nostrils  of  the 
citizens.  One  may  live  for  years  in  San  Francisco  with- 
out having  a  single  adventure;  but  one  cannot  live  there  a 
day  without  feeling  the  nerves  brace  themselves  in  prepara- 
tion for  the  adventure  which  seems  to  be  awaiting  at  every 
turn. 

No  one  has  ever  revealed  what  becomes  of  life  after 
it  leaves  the  body.  We  find  no  chemical  differences  be- 
tween a  live  body  and  a  dead  one ;  and  no  scientist  has  ever 
succeeded  in  isolating  life  itself.  Where  does  it  go?  We 
know  of  what  the  air  is  composed,  and  that  it  is  filled  with 
tiny  organisms,  each  one  possessed  of  a  share  of  that  elusive 
something  we  call  life;  but  life  in  the  abstract,  life  aside 
from  its  manifestations,  is  a  thing  we  can  only  wonder 
about.  Some  localities  there  are  which  seem  to  feed  upon 
the  life  of  the  inhabitants,  leaving  them  flaccid  and  enaemic ; 
while  in  others  the  air  is  surcharged  with  life  and  all  who 
breathe  it  are  filled  with  an  exhilaration  which  is  prone  to 
resent  the  artificial  interference  of  conventionality. 

Phil  and  Miriam  walked  rapidly  down  the  steep  grade  of 
the  street;  but  as  the  noises,  the  smells,  and  the  sights  of 
the  town,  typical  of  this  one  town  and  of  no  other,  were 
brought  to  them  on  the  breeze,  they  drew  deep  breaths  and 
in  spite  of  the  boy's  resentment,  there  was  something  of 
the  comrade  spirit  of  associated  adventurers  between  them. 

"We  turn  here,"  said  Phil,  with  the  sullen  precision 
of  a  pouting  top-sergeant. 

Miriam  turned  without  reply  and  after  going  a  few  steps 


i68        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

farther,  Phil  paused  and  said :  "  This  is  merely  a  common 
music  hall,  noisy  and  foul  and  cheap.  Do  you  wish  to 
enter  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  answered  Miriam. 


CHAPTER  SIXTEEN 

ANOTHER   LONE  DAMSEL 

HE  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  held  the  door  open  for  her 
to  enter.  The  bare  floor  was  covered  with  sawdust,  the  air 
was  clouded  with  the  stale  reek  of  cheap  tobacco,  and  the 
stench  of  spilled  beer  seemed  like  a  warning  voice  bidding 
them  stay  where  the  air  was  clean  and  pure.  The  center 
of  the  room  was  filled  with  tables  around  which  men  and 
women  were  drinking;  the  sides  of  the  room  were  made 
up  of  boxes,  partially  screened  with  tawdry  curtains,  while 
on  the  small  stage  at  the  rear,  two  men,  who  had  tried  to 
remove  all  racial  characteristics  by  the  liberal  use  of  grease 
paint,  were  attempting  to  win  the  petty  largess  of  an  empty 
laugh.  They  were  not  artists  and  it  requires  an  artist  to 
portray  a  life  which  he  hates,  in  a  manner  agreeable  to  his 
audience. 

Miriam  glanced  curiously  about  the  room;  Phil  kept  his 
eyes  on  her  face  in  a  questioning  gaze.  When  he  saw  that 
she  was  not  shocked,  he  led  the  way  to  a  table  farthest 
from  the  stage  and  seated  her  with  rather  stilted  formality. 
It  was  impossible  for  him  to  see  anything  either  sensible 
or  attractive  in  the  proceeding. 

The  two  low,  not  to  say  vulgar,  comedians  were  immedi- 
ately inspired  to  edify  their  audience  with  additional  sug- 
gestiveness  in  honor  of  the  newcomers.  Miriam  sat  with 
her  brows  drawn  into  lines  of  concentrated  attention,  and 

169 


THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  eyes  beneath  them  shining  with  the  brilliancy  of  tropical 
stars.  She  was  as  aloof  from  her  surroundings  as  though 
studying  the  animals  in  a  zoological  garden.  Phil's  back 
was  to  the  stage  and  as  he  raised  his  eyes  to  those  of  the 
girl,  a  wave  of  warmth  swept  over  him.  She  was  beautiful 
with  a  dazzling  individuality  which  made  her  seem  foreign, 
and  yet  not  in  any  degree  a  type  of  foreigner.  Suddenly 
the  thought  struck  him  that  she  was  foreign  to  the  entire 
earth,  the  visitant  of  some  other  sphere,  coming  with  the 
curiosity  of  health  and  the  innocence  of  wisdom  to  examine 
into  the  ways  of  the  queer  creatures  whose  lives  seemed  so 
different  from  her  own. 

It  was  entirely  natural  that  at  the  very  moment  when  he 
expected  to  be  honestly  disgusted,  he  felt  himself  drawn  to 
her  with  an  unmistakable  attraction.  Her  refinement,  which 
was  not  threatened  even  in  such  an  environment,  her  eager 
interest  in  all  about  her,  and  the  appearance  of  sincere 
study  which  seemed,  in  a  measure,  to  justify  her  presence, 
all  interested  him ;  but  it  was  her  beauty  which  drew  Phil, 
and  especially  the  stimulating  warmth  which  hid  away  in 
the  mysterious  depths  of  her  wonderful  eyes.  She  seemed 
to  have  forgotten  that  she  was  not  alone,  and  her  gaze 
roamed  freely  about  the  room  without  ever  once  falling 
upon  Phil. 

"  Can  you  see  a  single  happy  face  ?  "  she  suddenly  asked 
him. 

"  When  you  ask»me  such  questions  as  that,  do  you  want 
an  honest,  or  merely  a  perfunctory,  answer  ?  " 

"  I  want  an  honest  answer,  of  course." 

Phil  looked  slowly  about  the  room,  finally  letting  his  eyes 
meet  hers.  "  I  can  find  only  one  happy  face  here,"  he 
said,  a  bit  more  seriously  than  he  intended. 


ANOTHER    LONE    DAMSEL     171 

"Where  is  it?"  she  asked. 

"  I  am  looking  at  it  now,"  he  replied  without  dropping 
his  eyes. 

"  Oh,  that  us  silly,"  she  exclaimed  with  genuine  impa- 
tience. "  You  know  that  I  really  am  trying  to  learn  all  I 
can  of  the  cause  and  effect  of  modern  revelry.  All  this 
drinking,  music,  laughter,  and  suggestiveness,  is  supposed 
to  be  undertaken  for  the  sake  of  pleasure ;  and  yet  there  is 
not  a  single  happy  face  to  be  seen. 

"  Notice  the  lines  about  eyes  and  mouth ;  in  some  places 
it  is  the  mouth  which  rebels,  in  others  it  is  the  eyes;  but 
always  it  is  apparent  that  either  inherited  traits  resent  be- 
ing dragged  down  to  such  a  level,  or  else  that  the  delicate 
discrimination  of  a  newly  awakened  soul  is  opposing  the 
gratifying  of  inherited  appetites.  There  is  nothing  natural 
about  it,  so  that  some  part  of  the  nature  always  feels  out- 
raged at  being  forced  to  content  itself  with  such  artificial 
excitement.  In  some  of  the  faces,  nature  appears  to  have 
surrendered,  and  there  is  not  much  suffering  written  there, 
merely  a  dull  resignation;  and  here  and  there  are  young 
men,  little  more  than  boys  in  fact,  whose  zest  of  life  is  so 
eager  that  they  are  able  to  lose  themselves  completely  in 
this  scene  which,  as  they  view  it,  is  only  half  real,  the  rest 
being  supplied  by  their  own  imaginations. 

"  It  all  comes  from  the  terrible  lack  of  balance  in  our 
lives  —  in  all  our  lives.  Some  of  us  have  to  travel  all  day 
upon  some  variation  of  the  treadmill,  in  order  to  provide 
the  bare  necessities  of  life ;  while  some  of  us  have  to  labor 
incessantly  in  order  to  dispose  of  our  incomes  and  drown 
the  monotony  of  existence.  The  people  in  this  room  are 
mostly  engaged  in  physical  toil  through  the  day,  dull,  me- 
chanical toil  which  smothers  the  emotional  side  of  their 


172        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

lives,  and  it  is  a  struggle  for  existence,  upon  the  part  of  the 
emotions,  which  brings  them  here. 

"  Our  real  life  is  found  in  our  emotional  expressions ; 
every  life  should  be  a  picture,  having  its  lights  and  shades ; 
every  life  should  be  a  melody,  having  its  deep  notes  and 
its  trebles.  The  life  that  is  nothing  more  than  a  dingy  gray 
blur,  is  slowly  dying;  the  life  which  drones  forever  on  the 
single  note  of  duty,  is  also  dwindling  away.  There  must 
be  a  variation;  and  these  poor  things  are  well  within  their 
rights  when  they  come  here.  Their  instincts  guided  them 
and  the  sorrowful  part  is  the  fact  that,  instead  of  finding 
friends  to  welcome  them,  they  have  been  entertained  by 
birds  of  prey.  They  honestly  needed  what  they  were  seek- 
ing, the  joyous  lifting  of  their  souls  through  social  pleasure, 
the  recreating  of  their  strength  and  patience  for  the  mor- 
row's cares.  '  It  is  exactly  according  to  my  theory." 

Phil  made  no  reply :  he  was  not  greatly  interested  in  the- 
ories ;  things  were  just  as  they  always  had  been,  and  he  felt 
no  call  to  attempt  making  any  radical  changes  in  them. 
He  had  really  paid  but  little  attention  to  the  speech,  so 
interested  had  he  become  in  the  speaker. 

"  Do  you  not  think  that  the  great  fault  lies  with  Society 
for  not  providing  innocent  forms  of  amusement  ? "  per- 
sisted Miriam. 

"  The  part  of  society  with  which  I  was  most  familiar," 
answered  Phil  slowly,  "  was  much  like  the  people  about  us 
to-night  —  they  demanded  amusement,  they  insisted  upon 
it ;  but  they  did  not  seem  to  take  much  interest  in  the  par- 
ticular adjective  used  to  qualify  the  amusement.  The  sup- 
ply of  amusement  never  is  equal  to  the  demand;  and  it 
makes  no  difference  which  portion  of  Society  you  are 


ANOTHER    LONE    DAMSEL     173 

catering  to,  you  provide  the  amusement,  and  they  will  cheer- 
fully accept  the  incidental  risk  to  their  innocence." 

The  two  dreary  comedians  had  withdrawn,  before  the 
candidly  adverse  criticism  had  taken  the  form  of  personal 
violence ;  and  now  a  girl  came  upon  the  stage.  The  bois- 
terous outburst  which  greeted  her  proved  that  she  was  a 
general  favorite.  Humans  are  humans,  and  the  slight 
shades  of  differentiation  are  merely  due  to  the  quality 
and  quantity  of  the  early  sensations  furnished  by  the  station 
of  life  into  which  Fate  had  rudely  thrust  them.  A  grand 
opera  audience  will  offer  up,  during  the  same  performance, 
libations  of  approval  to  the  woman  with  the  saintly  brow 
and  the  girl  with  the  naughty  eyes,  and  the  music  hall,  in 
its  own  peculiar  way,  is  guilty  of  the  same  hearty  and  de- 
lightful inconsistency. 

The  girl  upon  the  stage  in  this  instance  had  a  beautiful 
brow,  bold,  hard  eyes,  mouth  a  trifle,  just  a  trifle,  too  full, 
and  golden  hair.  It  was  her  own  hair,  and  it  was  golden 
because  that  was  the  way  it  grew.  There  was  a  great 
mass  of  it,  and  it  caught  the  light  like  some  wayward  cloud 
in  the  upper  sky  catches  a  flood  of  glory  after  the  sun  has 
set.  There  was  such  a  wealth  of  femininity  in  the  spun 
gold  with  which  Nature  had  crowned  this  girl  that  the  un- 
dying ideal  of  woman  in  the  abstract,  which  every  man  has 
hidden  away  in  his  bosom,  came  forth  to  do  homage. 

She  sang  one  of  those  popular  songs  which  first  fill  the 
author  with  the  laughing-gas  of  genuine  fame  —  and  then 
make  him  seek  to  prove  an  alibi.  This  particular  one 
dealt  with  a  wedding  which  was  to  take  place  when  the 
harvest  days  were  over,  Jessie  dear;  and  as  the  girl  with 
the  smooth  white  brow  and  the  golden  hair  sang  it,  her 


174        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

eyes  grew  soft  and  dreamy,  and  the  lips,  which  were  just  a 
shade  too  full,  looked  as  though  they  had  been  made  for 
nothing  but  honest  kisses. 

There  was  no  drinking  done  during  the  singing  of  the 
song;  hardened  wretches,  who  would  have  robbed  an  alms 
box  without  a  tremor,  leaned  forward  with  their  faces 
wrinkled  into  lines  of  anguish.  They  saw  themselves  as 
the  deserving  heroes  in  little  agricultural  dramas,  and  with 
their  very  souls,  they  yearned  for  the  simple  life  —  with 
this  golden  haired  girl  as  one  of  the  logical  perquisites  to 
which  their  patient  toil  entitled  them.  They  saw  these 
scenes  with  dazzling  clearness,  and  it  pained  them  to  think 
that  they  were  being  kept  out  of  their  own. 

Here  and  there  girls  with  knowing  faces  leaned  back 
in  their  chairs  and  sneered  frankly  at  their  unsophisticated 
escorts;  but  also,  here  and  there,  girls,  still  tender  to  the 
game,  dropped  their  faces  into  the  crooks  of  their  elbows 
and  sobbed,  because  the  world  was  worse  than  they  were. 

"  It  is  wonderful,"  murmured  Miriam,  after  her  glance 
had  taken  in  the  girl,  wandered  over  the  audience,  and  re- 
turned to  finish  her  valuation  of  the  girl  at  leisure. 

"  It  is  rotten,"  said  Phil,  whose  back  was  toward  the 
stage. 

"  Notice  the  effect  it  is  having  upon  these  people,  and 
then  see  if  you  still  think  it,  rotten,"  suggested  Miriam. 

"  Pigs  squeal  with  delight  when  the  farmer  brings  them 
swill,  but  I  am  not  able  to  enter  into  their  enthusiasm,"  re- 
turned Phil,  highly  edified  at  an  opportunity  to  be  disagree- 
able without  infringing  upon  his  contract. 

"  I  rather  supposed  that  you  would  be  one  of  the  kind 
who  judge  without  examination,"  said  Miriam  with  a  note 
of  indignation  which  surprised  Phil. 


ANOTHER    LONE    DAMSEL     175 

"  My  ears  have  examined,  and  they  have  passed  judg- 
ment," he  rejoined  obstinately. 

"  It  is  less  a  question  for  the  ears  than  for  the  heart," 
said  Miriam,  and  then  added  thoughtfully:  "but  is  more 
for  the  intellect  than  either,  I  presume.  There  is  really  a 
charm  to  the  girl,  and  there  must  be  a  cause  for  every- 
thing." 

Phil  smiled  with  lofty  cynicism. 

"  Is  there  any  way  that  I  could  speak  to  that  girl  ?  "  Mir- 
iam asked  after  a  moment's  silence  during  which  her  eyes 
had  been  intent  upon  the  face  of  the  singer. 

"  Tell  the  waiter  to  ask  her  down  to  have  a  drink,"  sug- 
gested Phil,  with  a  grin.  It  was  evident  that  being  per- 
sonal attendant  to  an  eccentric  young  woman  was  not  good 
for  his  disposition. 

"  I  wish  you  to  carry  out  the  details,"  said  Miriam, 
firmly,  without  looking  at  him. 

Phil  made  a  wry  face  and  summoned  a  waiter.  "  If  the 
girl  wants  to  drink  a  bottle  of  wine  with  us  as  soon  as  she 
finishes,  invite  her,  and  bring  the  wine." 

It  was  Phil's  first  order  and  the  waiter  struck  an  average 
between  the  suit  and  the  face  of  his  guest,  and  then  looked 
at  Miriam.  It  was  not  necessary  for  waiters  to  be  sub-serv- 
ile at  the  Elite;  but  after  a  quick,  shrewd  glance  the  man 
bowed  deferentially,  said :  "  Certainly,  sir,"  and  hastened 
away  with  the  gliding  dance  step  which  every  waiter  prac- 
tices in  the  hope  that  some  day  he  will  be  entrusted  with 
the  order  of  a  Chinese  prince. 

He  soon  returned  with  the  champagne  properly  cooled, 
and  asked  Phil  if  he  would  not  prefer  to  sit  in  one  of  the 
boxes.  He  glanced  at  Miriam;  she  nodded,  the  waiter 
tripped  to  one  of  the  boxes,  whispered  a  word  to  one  of 


i76        THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

the  men  inside;  the  man  and  his  lady  friend  immediately 
left,  Phil  and  Miriam  followed  the  waiter  to  the  box  and 
were  soon  seated  in  a  seclusion  which  seemed  to  intensify 
the  noxious  odors  of  the  place. 

"  This  is  a  perfect  dream ! "  exclaimed  Phil,  gazing  about 
in  mock  rapture. 

Miriam  did  not  reply,  as  she  was  watching  the  girl,  who 
had  finished  the  song  for  the  second  time,  and  was  shaking 
her  head,  to  the  earnest  demand  that  she  repeat  it  once 
again. 

Finally  she  left  the  stage,  to  give  place  to  a  mother  and 
daughter  who  were  laboriously  dancing  their  way  through 
life  as  the  Divine  Devney  Sisters.  The  daughter  was  wan 
and  haggard  in  spite  of  her  paint,  but  the  mother  had 
learned  to  conserve  her  vitality,  and  had  a  roguish  smile 
which  was  quite  fetching  —  at  that  time  of  the  morning. 

Presently  the  girl  with  the  golden  hair  entered  their  box 
from  a  narrow  aisle  which  led  from  the  stage  along  the  rear 
of  the  boxes.  She  was  not  quite  so  prepossessing  at  close 
view ;  but  still  there  was  something  in  her  face  which  made 
the  appeal  that  artists  yearn  to  depict. 

"  La  Belle  Fatima,"  said  the  waiter  in  introduction,  as 
he  started  to  fill  the  glases. 

Miriam  shook  hands  with  the  girl,  Phil  bowed  ostenta- 
tiously. "  If  you  are  not  too  proud,"  he  said  wickedly  to 
the  waiter,  "  get  another  glass  and  have  a  little  something 
with  us." 

"  Oh,  we  can't  wait,"  said  the  girl,  whose  speaking  voice 
was  raw  and  hoarse.  "  I  'm  as  dry  as  a  boiled  owl.  If 
Chesty  has  been  promoted  to  fizz,  let  him  ring  in  on  the  next 
bottle.  Here 's  to  the  merry  who  marry  not,  and  to  the 
not  merry  who  marry." 


ANOTHER    LONE    DAMSEL     177 

"  A  beautiful  toast !  "  exclaimed  Phil,  raising  his  glass 
with  enthusiasm.  "  If  it  were  not  for  the  official  bouncer, 
I  should  dash  my  glass  to  the  floor  after  drinking  it." 

"  Go  as  far  as  you  like,  dear ;  as  long  as  you  can  pay  the 
damage,"  encouraged  La  Belle  Fatima. 

Gleams  of  delighted  mischief  shot  from  Phil's  eyes. 
"  Thanks  for  the  tip,  girlie ;  but  mother  does  not  like  a  big 
noise,"  he  said,  giving  the  girl  a  broad  wink  and  nodding 
his  head  toward  Miriam. 

"  I  'm  not  mad  for  the  hard  pedal,  myself,  during  the 
first  bottle,"  replied  the  girl,  emptying  her  glass  for  the  sec- 
ond time. 

"  What  is  your  commission  on  the  bar  bill,  little  one  ?  " 
asked  Phil,  touching  the  bell. 

"  I  never  talk  shop  at  table,"  drawled  the  girl.  "  I  have 
a  weak  mind  and  it  won't  stand  too  much  stretching.  When 
I  drink  extra  dry,  that  is  all  I  am  able  to  do  at  that  time." 

"  Another  package  of  the  prima  donna's  favorite  gar- 
gling oil,  Chesty,"  said  Phil  to  the  waiter,  who  now  ap- 
peared. 

Phil  had  entered  fully  into  the  spirit  of  the  occasion,  and 
had  a  wicked  hope  that  it  would  develop  into  something 
which  would  remove  his  employer's  desire  to  continue  her 
present  study  of  sociology. 

All  this  time,  Miriam  had  not  spoken,  but  as  soon  as  the 
waiter  had  filled  the  glasses  and  retired  with  an  unusual 
but  quite  agreeable  tip,  she  asked :  "  How  long  have  you 
been  singing  on  the  stage  ?  " 

The  voice  was  low  and  perfectly  modulated;  the  girl 
turned  and,  for  the  first  time,  examined  the  face  of  the 
speaker.  She  found  the  dark  eyes  meeting  her  own  with 
frank  interest.  She  also  noticed  the  freedom  from  conde- 


178        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

scansion  and,  without  further  analysis,  she  discontinued  the 
flippant  mood,  and  opened  the  way  to  the  subtile  intercourse 
of  that  mysterious  friendliness  which  needs  neither  intro- 
duction, nor  credentials. 

"  Hell,"  she  replied  with  perfect  candor,  "  I  can't  sing, 
and  you  know  it;  but  this  song  meant  all  the  world  to  me 
before  ever  it  was  written,  and  my  heart  sang  it  long  be- 
fore my  voice  had  the  nerve  to  try  to.  Me  makin'  the  boobs 
weep  with  a  harvest  song  is  a  scream  of  a  joke,  now ;  but 
I  'm  not  yet  able  to  crack  my  lips  laughing  about  it" 

"  You  mean  that  you  once  lived  in  the  country  and  ex- 
pected to  marry  a  farmer  ?  "  asked  Miriam. 

"  That  is  exactly  the  way  it  was  billed ;  but  you  'd  never 
guess  it  to  see  the  pink  silk  sox  I  wear  with  my  tailor- 
made." 

"  What  broke  it  off  ?  "  asked  Miriam  gently. 

"  That 's  a  hard  one  to  guess,  sister,"  replied  the  girl. 
"  He  was  one  of  these  steady  ones  who  think  the  whole 
world  runs  as  smooth  as  they  do.  He  never  would  have 
found  me  out,  and  I  doubt  if  he  would  have  done  much 
ranting  if  he  had ;  but  something  inside  made  me  play  fair, 
after  I  had  played  false.  Jim  was  off  with  a  thresher  out- 
fit, and  a  fellow  came  to  our  neighborhood  to  give  music 
lessons.  I  was  his  star  pupil;  yes,  I  was  his  darling  star- 
ling and  suchlike  items.  I  could  n't  stay  to  see  Jim,  so  I 
came  down  here  and  did  house  work  for  a  time.  I  could 
not  shake  the  memory  of  him  off,  while  I  was  cooking  and 
cleaning  in  somebody  else's  kitchen;  and  finally  I  had  the 
nerve  to  take  a  plunge  with  my  cultivated  voice.  I  take 
my  life  in  my  hands  every  time  I  try  to  sing;  but  I  hap- 
pened to  hear  this  Jessie  one,  and  it  gave  me  a  complete 
inflation.  I  can  put  over  this  song  and  I  'm  getting  my 


ANOTHER    LONE    DAMSEL     179 

thirty-five  a  week  for  it,  and  a  lot  of  pick-ups ;  and  if  you 
know  anything  about  the  salaries  they  hang  up  in  a  dump 
like  this,  you  know  that  thirty-five  real  ones  every  seventh 
night  is  just  about  keeping  the  ceiling  free  from  cobwebs. 
I  'm  beginnin'  to  take  myself  seriously ;  and  from  peculiar 
sensations  I  've  had  lately,  I  rawther  think  I  'm  beginnin' 
to  cut  my  ambition." 

"  You  have  a  swell  line  of  patter,  kid,"  said  Phil,  who 
was  actually  enjoying  himself  by  this  time.  "  Where  did 
you  cop  it  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  gleaned  most  of  it  since  I  've  been  getting  milk 
out  of  a  bottle  instead  of  out  of  a  cow.  It  isn't  having 
the  stuff  to  tell,  it 's  knowing  how  to  keep  'em  awake  while 
you  're  tellin'  it  that  boosts  you  up  among  the  headliners. 
I  'm  going  to  train  up  a  lot  of  high  kickin'  words  for  my 
own  use,  to  help  me  along  after  my  ambition 's  toughened 
up  a  little." 

"What  is  your  ambition,  Jessie?"  asked  Miriam.  "I 
prefer  calling  you  Jessie  to  Fatima." 

"Is  that  the  way  you  speak  it?"  exclaimed  the  girl. 
"  I  've  pronounced  that  fool  word  seven  different  ways,  and 
according  to  you  they  were  all  wrong.  I  '11  answer  to  Jes- 
sie all  right  —  it  really  is  more  in  my  class  than  Fatima; 
but  his  Honor  thought  I  ought  to  wear  something  romantic, 
and  so  I  chose  the  present  combination  out  of  seven  worse 
ones." 

"  And  what  is  your  ambition  ?  "  persisted  Miriam. 

"  You  Ve  got  ways  of  your  own,  all  right,"  said  the  girl, 
looking  at  Miriam  with  renewed  interest.  "  While  we  're 
asking  questions,  how  did  you  happen  to  float  into  this  joint ; 
and  how  do  you  happen  to  be  coupled  up  with  the  sport 
here  ?  I  'm  not  asking  him  any  questions.  When  such  a 


i8o       THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

face,  suit,  and  roll  of  bills  get  into  one  combination,  little 
Myrtle  slips  into  a  dark  comer  and  refuses  to  play  it;  but 
when  you  are  added  for  good  measure,  I  'd  drown  in  a  sea  of 
curiosity  if  I  did  n't  flip  you  at  least  one  quiz?  " 

"  This,"  began  Miriam  in  a  hesitating  tone,  "  is  my 
cousin,  and  I  'm  — " 

"  That 's  enough,"  interrupted  the  girl  with  shrewd 
amusement.  "  You  lie  as  skillfully  as  I  sing.  I  was  n't 
trying  to  pump  you ;  but  you  are  a  new  one  to  me  and  I  'm 
one  of  the  notice-takers  now  days.  My  ambition  is  to  be 
a  regular  headliner  —  and  I  'm  willing  to  work  for  it.  I 
am  not  a  man-hunter  " —  she  threw  back  her  head  and  gave 
Miriam  a  steady  look  — "  but  I  saw  that  your  friend  had 
the  coin,  that  his  voice  did  not  match  his  clothes,  and  that 
song  I  am  singing  makes  me  as  dry  as  the  flames  of  hell. 
Then,  I  do  get  my  rake-off  from  the  bar,  and  I  'm  saving 
my  money,  every  cent  of  it  I  can  save." 

"  But  you  yourself  admitted  that  you  cannot  sing,"  said 
Miriam. 

"Yes,  but  I  never  admitted  that  I  could  not  act  It 
takes  some  mighty  high-grade  acting  to  make  even  the  push 
that  comes  in  here  think  I  can  sing  —  and  sometimes  it  is 
acting.  Sometimes  I  get  so  tired  and  lonely  that  even  the 
thoughts  back  of  this  song  seem  a  thousand  years  away  — 
and  then  I  have  to  act ;  and  I  do  act.  I  —  I  — .  Did  you 
ever  feel  the  waves  of  a  thousand  eyes  rolling  up  to  you 
and  into  you  and  drawing  something  out  of  you  and  giving 
you  something  else  in  return?  It's  wonderful,  it's  — 
I  suppose  it 's  what  has  given  the  big  ones  the  nerve  to  go 
through  what  they  had  to  go  through  to  land ;  and  it  is  go- 
ing to  give  me  the  same  sort  of  nerve  —  as  soon  as  I  can 
forget  Jim  without  soaking  myself  with  booze." 


ANOTHER    LONE    DAMSEL     181 

"  I  should  think  that  your  memory  of  Jim  would  help 
you  to  give  up  drink,"  said  Miriam,  with  just  a  trace  of 
reprimand  in  her  voice. 

"  Sure  you  would,"  replied  the  girl  with  good-natured 
sarcasm ;  "  but  then,  you  see,  the  real  joke  of  life  is,  that 
things  never  do  happen  as  we  think  they  ought  to.  I  know 
now  that  I  loved  Jim  all  the  time,  and  yet  I  turned  him 
down  for  a  clothes  model  with  vocal  organs.  You  think 
you  would  n't  hit  the  booze ;  but  after  you  've  tossed 
around  night  after  night  with  a  hundred  devils  jeering  at 
you,  you  might  get  tired  of  thinking  and  take  any  road 
you  could  find,  back  to  where  you  would  just  feel  for  a 
while." 

"  I  must  admit  that  there  is  some  truth  in  what  you  say ; 
and  I  am  also  surprised  at  the  discriminating  manner  in 
which  you  have  analyzed  your  own  position." 

"  Almost  human,  was  n't  it  ?  "  returned  the  girl  with  less 
tempered  sarcasm. 

"  I  mean,"  explained  Miriam,  "  that  while  your  conduct, 
and  some  of  your  words,  indicate  recklessness,  you  really 
display  a  true  depth  of  feeling." 

"  Oh,  we  have  souls  down  here,"  replied  the  girl  quietly, 
and  in  a  voice  which  had  lost  all  of  its  roughness,  and  which 
played  in  sympathetic  vibrations  upon  the  hearts  of  her 
listeners ;  "  genuine  souls,  and  sometimes  they  ache  worse 
than  respectable  souls  do.  A  boy  never  knows  he  has  a 
stomach  until  it  begins  to  ache;  and  some  of  us  are  that 
way  with  our  souls.  I  don't  want  to  kill  myself  with  drink; 
but  I  don't  want  to  go  insane  with  thinking  either.  What 
I  am  trying  to  do  is  to  gather  up  the  bits  into  which  my 
life  has  smashed,  and  make  something  worth  while  out  of 
them." 


i8z        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  I  think  that  you  can  become  a  very  great  actress  in 
time,"  said  Miriam  earnestly. 

"  Oh,  but  there  is  so  much  I  have  to  do  first ! "  cried  the 
girl.  "  I  have  been  listening  to  you  to-night,  and  I  can  see 
the  difference  in  the  words  you  use  and  the  way  you  pro- 
nounce them.  I  plow  through  books  when  I  can,  but  it  is 
hard  for  me." 

"  But  you  think  if  you  had  the  chance  you  would  care 
enough  for  success  on  the  stage  to  work  hard  for  it  ?  " 
asked  Miriam. 

"  I  am  working  hard  for  it  now,  without  much  chance," 
replied  the  girl  simply.  "  Next  to  cooking  and  washing 
dishes  for  Jim,  it  is  the  one  thing  in  life  which  I  want  to 
do.  It  is  a  funny  thing  that  I  never  knew  how  much  I 
cared  for  him  until  I  lost  him,"  she  added  dreamily. 

"  Do  you  suppose  he  still  cares  for  you  ? "  asked  Phil 
with  interest  He  had  been  listening  to  the  girl  with  pe- 
culiar emotions.  Every  time  she  had  spoken  of  Jim,  he 
had  thought  of  Edith. 

"  Jim  was  one  of  the  slow,  steady  ones.  He  never  cared 
much  for  any  other  girl  but  me ;  and  he  wouldn't  try  to  for- 
get me  by  taking  up  with  a  new  girl.  I  know  that  he  still 
cares  for  me  as  I  used  to  be ;  but  he  would  n't  speak  to  me 
now." 

"  No,  absence  does  not  make  the  man's  heart  grow  fonder. 
He  probably  hates  even  your  memory  by  now,"  said  Phil, 
brutally. 

"  You  're  as  friendly  as  a  boil,  Mister,"  said  the  girl, 
shrugging  her  shoulders  and  resuming  the  coarse,  raw  tones 
of  her  voice ;  "  but  the  actual  truth  is  the  best  sort  of  com- 
fort after  all ;  so  if  you  '11  just  push  that  button  again,  I  '11 
drink  your  health  to  show  there  is  no  hard  feeling." 


ANOTHER    LONE    DAMSEL     183 

"  I  think  you  have  had  enough,"  said  Miriam. 

"  I  hope  you  don't  mean  that  I  'm  showing  it,  do  you  ?  " 

"  No,  I  can't  say  that  you  are ;  but  still  — " 

"  Oh,  that 's  all  right.  Just  register  once  again,  Clar- 
ence ;  and  then  we  '11  all  go  home  like  good  children.  I 
won't  think  of  myself  much  to-night,  either.  I  '11  try  to 
study  out  a  cause  for  you  two  bein'  together." 

"  If  you  guess  it  within  a  month,  I  '11  guarantee  you  suc- 
cess on  the  stage,  or  another  chance  to  marry  Jim;  which- 
ever you  prefer,"  laughed  Phil. 

"  Do  you  know  —  I  don't  like  the  name  of  Jim  on  your 
lips,"  said  the  girl,  narrowing  her  eyes  and  looking  fixedly 
at  Phil.  "  I  don't  know  where  you  started  from,  but  there  's 
a  tone  in  your  voice  —  and  my  ears  are  pretty  sharp  these 
days  —  which  makes  me  willin'  to  bet  that  you  're  on  even 
a  steeper  slide  than  I  am,  myself." 

"  Your  ears  are  still  working,  if  it  is  any  comfort  to  you," 
replied  Phil. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  something  else,  too,"  resumed  the  girl, 
whose  eyes  were  bright  from  the  wine :  "  You  speak  your 
words  neater  than  Jim,  but  he  was  a  man  while  you  are  still 
only  a  boy.  I  think  I  could  give  you  one  other  tip  if  I 
wanted  to ;  but  I  don't  think  I  will." 

Miriam  was  vexed  to  feel  the  blood  rising  to  her  face. 
The  girl  had  not  given  the  slightest  hint ;  and  yet  she  was 
sure  that  the  suggestion  which  was  not  voiced  concerned 
herself.  "  I  think  we  had  better  go,"  she  said  to  Phil. 

"  A  motion  to  adjourn  is  always  in  order,  a  motion  to  go 
home  is  never  in  order ;  but  as  I  am  at  present  under  orders, 
let  us  depart  hence  and  be  at  rest." 

"  May  I  call  upon  you  some  time  ?  "  asked  Miriam. 

"  Think  not,"  replied  the  girl  shortly.     "  I  live  in  a  ken- 


1 84        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

nel ;  and  you  'd  probably  catch  me  sober  and  out  of  hu- 
mor." 

"  I  should  like  to  help  you." 

"  You  're  a  good  sort,  not  the  goody-good  sort,  but  the 
real  thing ;  yet  I  don't  think  you  could  help  me  much.  I  '11 
plow  along  all  right,  and  there'll  be  some  kind  of  a  har- 
vest ;  but  I  'm  afraid  you  'd  do  too  much  preaching  —  away 
from  his  nibs,  here." 

"  Any  way,"  said  Miriam,  shaking  hands  heartily,  "  I 
mean  to  see  you  again,  and  to  help  you  if  you  will  let  me." 

"  Well,  think  of  me  in  the  morning  and  it  will  help  your 
headache,"  said  Phil. 

"  Good  night,  kid,"  said  the  girl,  looking  at  him  with 
steady  eyes.  "  If  I  were  you,  I  'd  find  out  where  the  slide 
headed  in  at,  before  I  got  to  goin'  any  faster.  Let  me  whis- 
per in  your  ear;  I  kind  o'  like  you  in  spite  of  your  ways." 
Phil  leaned  close  to  her,  and  she  whispered,  "  If  there  is 
any  other  girl  in  the  case,  you  had  better  let  this  one  alone ; 
for  she  is  one  of  the  through  death  and  hell  kind." 


CHAPTER  SEVENTEEN 

PHIL   WINS   A   TILT 

THE  faint,  elusive  odor  of  dawn  was  in  the  air  when  they 
reached  the  sidewalk,  although  the  night  was  at  its  darkest. 
They  walked  along  silently  for  nearly  three  squares,  and 
then  Phil  asked :  "  Well,  did  you  get  your  money's  worth  ?  " 

"  Yes,  in  full  measure ;  but  I  do  wish  I  could  help  that 
girl." 

"  Don't  brood  over  it.  She  had  an  unusually  good  line  of 
talk;  but  it  does  not  differ  much  from  the  regular  profes- 
sional jargon.  They  all  have  had  a  beautiful,  romantic  love 
affair,  and  they  expose  it  afterward,  for  money ;  just  as  the 
men  beggars  expose  the  handmade  sores  on  their  limbs. 
This  girl  is  unusually  plausible ;  but  the  chances  are  that  she 
was  merely  a  weak,  silly,  perverted  creature  to  begin  with." 

"  You  really  think  that  there  are  such  girls  ?  "  asked  Mir- 
iam. "  I  mean,  weak,  silly,  perverted  creatures  to  begin 
with." 

"  Why,  certainly." 

"  Then  don't  you  think  that  some  provision  for  their  pro- 
tection should  be  made?  Most  of  our  education,  both  re- 
ligious and  worldly,  seems  to  give  the  impression  that  we 
are  all  much  the  same  and  can  therefore  all  live  comfort- 
ably if  we  just  obey  the  general  rules ;  but  if  some  of  us 
really  are  weak,  silly,  and  perverted  to  begin  with,  it  seems 

185 


i86        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

as  if  there  should  be  some  special  precautions  taken  for 
them." 

"  Oh,  what 's  the  odds  ?  We  all  smash  up  one  way  or 
another,  so  let 's  be  comfortable  as  long  as  possible.  If  some 
of  us  did  not  fall,  think  of  all  the  holy  joy  we  should  take 
from  those  who  have  been  propped  up  all  their  lives  and 
yet  glory  in  the  fact  that  they  have  stood  erect  through  their 
own  spiritual  strength." 

Miriam  made  no  reply:  Phil  had  disappointed  her  sadly 
during  the  evening.  He  seemed  to  take  such  a  flippant, 
shallow  view  of  life,  and  she  wondered  if  this  was  the  real 
man;  or  if,  after  all,  his  present  attitude  were  not  the  re- 
sult of  his  present  circumstances ;  while  his  real  nature  was 
more  like  that  of  the  Phil  Lytton  whom  she  had  idealized. 
A  woman  rights  hard  to  retain  her  children,  even  the  chil- 
dren of  her  imagination. 

"  Call  the  first  cab  we  meet,"  she  said  after  a  minute.  "  I 
shall  leave  a  message  for  you  at  the  office  of  the  Palace  Ho- 
tel; but  do  not  call  for  it  until  your  outfit  is  complete.  I 
am  perfectly  satisfied  with  your  conduct  toward  me." 

She  spoke  as  mistress  to  servant ;  but  the  slight  emphasis 
upon  the  pronoun  which  ended  her  remark  was  noticeable 
enough  to  cause  Phil  to  study  her  face  a  moment ;  but  all  he 
said  was,  "  I  shall  call  for  the  message  as  soon  as  possible." 

They  did  not  see  a  cab  until  within  a  block  of  Market; 
and  then  Phil  handed  her  into  it,  raised  his  hat,  paid  the 
driver,  and  stood  on  the  curb  and  watched  it  whirl  around 
the  corner  on  its  short,  but  profitable  journey. 

Then  he  tapped  his  chest  with  his  hands  and  said  aloud: 
"  This  is  I :  this  is  actually  Philip  Lytton,  one  time  resident 
of  New  York  City,  one  time  a  self-respecting  vagabond  of 
this  quiet  hamlet,  and  now  —  no,  I  think  I  shall  not  put  it 


PHIL   WINS   A  TILT  187 

into  words.  Any  way,  I  am  now  Lenord  Latham,  who  is 
quite  a  different  individual  and  not  subject  to  the  same  criti- 
cisms as  Phil  Lytton.  I  wonder  if  Valerie  Florian  is  really 
the  name  of  my  peculiar  employer.  She  is  certainly  an 
original  character.  I  wonder  how  much  money  there  really 
is  in  her  purse." 

He  glanced  about,  and  then,  stepping  to  the  shelter  of  a 
doorway,  examined  the  contents  of  the  purse.  He  counted 
over  four  hundred  dollars,  carelessly;  and  then,  slipping 
fifty  into  his  trousers  pocket,  put  the  purse  into  his  inside 
vest  pocket  and  started  toward  Market. 

"  It  will  be  daylight  in  an  hour,"  he  muttered ;  "  but  never 
did  I  have  less  appetite  for  sleep.  I  think  I  shall  look 
around  a  bit." 

After  his  fast,  the  food  he  had  eaten  had  been  digested 
with  a  completeness  seldom  enjoyed  by  civilized  man,  and 
the  wine  had  merely  stimulated  him  pleasantly.  He  walked 
up  Market  Street  with  easy  swinging  strides,  and  his  face 
was  eager  and  serene,  like  the  face  of  a  boy. 

He  turned  in  at  the  Cafe  Royal,  and  after  buying  a  drink 
and  cigar,  strolled  back  to  a  faro  layout.  Only  two  men 
were  playing,  and  the  dealer  was  yawning  wearily. 

"  What  is  the  limit?  "  asked  Phil.  He  had  not  been  much 
of  a  gambler,  and  was  not  very  familiar  with  faro. 

"  I  've  about  reached  it,  as  far  as  sleep  goes,"  replied  the 
dealer  with  a  fine  unconcern,  "  and  only  expect  to  stay 
here  fifteen  minutes  longer ;  but  you  can  play  as  high  as  you 
like  until  then." 

"  Fifteen  minutes  will  be  plenty  long  enough  for  me," 
said  Phil,  placing  a  ten-dollar  bill  on  the  board.  "  I  play 
five  out  of  this  on  the  high  card." 

The  high  card  turned  up,  and  Phil  put  the  coin  which 


i88        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  dealer  paid  him  into  his  own  pocket,  leaving  the  bill  on 
the  table.  "  I  play  it  all,"  he  said. 

When  the  fifteen  minutes  was  up,  Phil  was  exactly  one 
hundred  dollars  ahead.  "  I  have  enjoyed  myself  very  much, 
and  will  detain  you  no  longer,"  he  said  courteously. 

"  You  know  when  to  stop,  all  right,"  sneered  the  dealer. 

"  I  am  only  stopping  on  your  account,"  replied  Phil.  "  If 
you  wish  to  continue,  we  shall  keep  right  along." 

"  Anything  but  a  quitter,"  sneered  the  man. 

"  For  how  long  this  time,  sleepy  man?  "  asked  Phil  with 
a  smile. 

"  Ten  minutes,"  growled  the  dealer. 

"  I  have  often  wondered  at  the  peculiar  independence  of 
the  men  in  your  profession,"  said  Phil  urbanely.  He  was 
in  a  very  pleasant  frame  of  mind,  and  was  not  even  discon- 
certed when  the  man  failed  to  reply. 

At  the  end  of  ten  minutes  Phil  was  three  hundred  dol- 
lars ahead.  He  looked  questioningly  at  the  dealer,  and 
nodded  his  head  toward  the  clock. 

"  Five  minutes  more ;  and  if  I  don't  break  your  fool  luck 
by  that  time,  I  '11  have  to  wait  and  get  you  on  the  rebound," 
answered  the  man  in  tones  which  indicated  a  threat,  and 
caused  Phil  to  smile. 

When  the  five  minutes  was  up,  Phil  was  five  hundred 
and  twenty-five  dollars  wealthier  than  when  he  had  entered, 
and  the  dealer  was  easing  his  irritation  by  means  of  an 
earnest  soliloquy  which  he  delivered  sub-vocally  through 
set  teeth. 

"  I  am  surprised,"  said  the  genial  Philip  in  his  most  inti- 
mate voice.  "  I  supposed  that  you  could  beat  any  single 
player;  and  it  really  gratifies  me  to  learn  that  it  is  possible 
to  win  at  this  game." 


PHIL   WINS   A   TILT  189 

"  Course  it 's  possible  to  win,"  grumbled  the  man,  "  but 
you  come  back  and  try  it  again  some  time  —  if  you  got  any 
sportin'  blood.  I  don't  mind  losin'  so  much  as  I  hate  to 
lose  to  a  guy  like  you,  who 's  got  a  ton  o'  money,  and  don't 
care  what  he  does  with  it.  Your  old  clothes  did  n't  fool  me 
a  minute." 

"  You  are  an  excellent  judge  of  character.  Good  morn- 
ing," said  Phil,  raising  his  hat  in  semi-salute,  and  strolling 
jauntily  away. 

It  was  in  the  cheerless  gray  of  a  cloudy  morning  that 
he  stepped  out  upon  the  sidewalk;  but  a  beaming  warmth 
emanated  from  him  which  brought  an  answering  smile  to 
all  the  eyes  which  met  his.  He  was  very  much  the  old 
Phil  Lytton,  and  felt  an  old,  familiar  curiosity  as  to  what 
his  next  step  would  be. 

This  purely  impersonal  curiosity  as  to  his  own  future 
activities  was  one  of  his  distinguishing  traits.  He  was 
never  in  so  normal  a  condition  as  when  betting  against  him- 
self as  to  what  his  own  next  movement  would  be ;  and  when 
he  suddenly  started  in  the  direction  of  the  exclusive  St. 
Francis,  all  his  joy  bells  were  ringing,  and  the  light  of  mis- 
chief danced  in  his  eyes. 

The  light  brightened  perceptibly  when  the  supercilious 
clerk  eyed  him  askance  and  seemed  to  dare  him  to  write 
his  name  upon  the  register.  "  A  room  and  bawth,"  said 
Phil. 

"  We  are  very  crowded,"  said  the  clerk. 

"  Is  it  a  noisy  crowd  ?  "  asked  Phil  solemnly. 

"  Certainly  not.  I  can  give  you  a  very  good  room  for 
three  dollars." 

"  What  is  the  rate  by  the  week  ?  " 

"  Seventeen  fifty,  in  advance." 


I9o        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  In  advance  1 "  cried  Phil  in  startled  tones  which  almost 
verged  upon  horror. 

"  Have  you  any  baggage  ?  " 

"  Certainly ;  but  it  is  so  badly  scattered,  that  I  shall  have 
to  collect  it  myself  —  thank  you." 

"If  you  have  no  baggage,  I  shall  have  to  insist  that  you 
pay  in  advance." 

"  Well,  I  don't  care  to  parley  any  longer,"  said  Phil,  feel- 
ing carefully  into  one  pocket  after  another,  while  a  look  of 
anxiety  gathered  upon  his  face,  quite  in  contrast  to  the  ex- 
pression of  triumph  which  wreathed  the  features  of  the 
clerk.  Suddenly,  with  a  smile  of  relief,  Phil  plunged  his 
hand  into  his  trousers  pocket,  and  pulled  out  a  handful  of 
gold  coins  and  bills  of  large  dimension.  "  I  knew  I  had 
some  change  with  me,"  he  said,  while  the  eyes  of  the 
clerk  grew  big  and  round  and  his  face  grew  long  and 
narrow. 

As  soon  as  he  reached  his  room,  Phil  placed  his  hands 
upon  the  shoulders  of  the  boy  who  had  conducted  him, 
and  gazing  searchingly  into  his  eyes,  asked  gravely,  "  My 
son,  are  you  a  boy  of  good  habits  ?  " 

The  boy  examined  the  face  of  his  questioner  critically. 
The  face  was  very  sober,  even  to  the  eyes ;  but  there  was  a 
fragrance  to  the  breath  which  seemed  to  indicate  good  liv- 
ing, rather  than  good  habits;  and  the  boy  was  anxious  to 
adjust  himself  to  the  present  moment,  in  the  manner  most 
certain  to  lure  a  worth-while  tip.  "  Betcher  life,"  he  re- 
plied, showing  by  the  easy  elasticity  of  his  language,  that 
he  was  a  boy  to  be  trusted  with  a  commission  of  the  utmost 
delicacy. 

"  Then,"  said  Phil,  holding  up  a  nickel,  "  put  this  coin 
in  the  bank,  and  after  you  have  saved  up  enough  to  buy 


PHIL   WINS   A   TILT  191 

yourself  a  house  and  lot,  spend  all  your  evenings  at  your 
own  fireside." 

The  lips  of  the  boy  curled  into  respectful  contempt,  and 
he  pocketed  the  coin  with  mumbled  incoherency. 

"  Did  he  give  you  a  tip  ?  "  asked  the  clerk,  as  soon  as  he 
had  returned  to  the  office. 

"  Naw,"  answered  the  boy,  holding  out  his  hand,  "  he  give 
me  a  nickel." 

"  I  '11  give  you  a  quarter  for  it,  just  for  a  souvenir,"  said 
the  clerk. 

The  boy  looked  at  the  coin,  and  saw  that  it  was  of  gold. 
His  face  immediately  lighted.  "  That 's  a  smooth  guy,  all 
right,"  he  said  with  enthusiasm.  "  It  was  a  nickel  he  held 
in  front  of  me  while  givin'  me  the  country  uncle  talk  about 
savin'  my  money.  I  '11  slip  you  half  I  get  if  you  turn  him 
over  to  me  exclusive." 

Upstairs,  Phil  was  rocking  vigorously  in  a  comfortable 
chair,  and  smoking  a  cigarette  while  his  mind  ran  over  the 
evening's  incidents.  "  I  wonder  what  her  game  is  ?  "  he 
said  at  last.  "  Any  way,  I  am  going  to  pay  her  back  what 
she  has  advanced,  and  resign.  I  can't  find  any  logic  to  prove 
that  being  a  hired  escort  is  not  fully  as  honorable  as  beat- 
ing a  faro  bank;  but  it  is  not  as  comfortable,  and  I  have 
strong  leanings  toward  comfort.  I  shall  get  as  many  of 
my  own  clothes  as  I  can,  and  then  go  and  tell  her  that  I 
find  it  impossible  to  continue  in  her  service.  How  I  love 
that  word  service  in  this  connection!  Oh,  Edith,  Edith  — 
you  were  able  to  start  the  strange  machine ;  but  who  or  what 
will  stop  it? 

"  This  Valerie  Florian,  or  whatever  her  real  name  is,  has 
a  very  strong  personality,  Edith,  and  you  seem  a  long  way 
off.  I  wonder  if  you  could  hold  me  against  her,  if  she  set 


i92        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

herself  to  win  me.  On  the  other  hand,  why  should  even  La 
Belle  Fatima,  as  curious  a  piece  of  work  as  either  of  you, 
why  should  even  she  want  to  win  me?  To  tell  you  the 
truth,"  he  said  as  he  rose  to  his  feet,  "  I  don't  think  I  could 
possibly  cut  out  Jim's  memory,  even  if  I  had  the  income  of 
former  days.  This  thing  of  running  on  one's  own  person- 
ality is  not  all  it  is  cracked  up  to  be.  I  can't  understand 
why  I  am  not  sleepy;  but  thus  it  is,  and  so  I  shall  take  a 
regular  bath  and  then  go  clothes-hunting.  I  wish  I  had 
some  clean  underwear  —  and  who  could  imagine  myself 
ever  reaching  the  point  of  making  such  a  wish  with  so  much 
fervor.  What  a  clean,  beautiful  thing  a  clean  bathtub  is, 
and  how  delightful  is  the  melody  of  splashing  water.  I 
wish  to  glory  I  had  some  clean  underwear.  Oh,  this  is  an 
odd  little  world!" 


CHAPTER  EIGHTEEN 

HE   TENDERS   HIS   RESIGNATION 

IT  required  Mr.  Lenord  Latham,  more  widely  known  as 
Philip  Lytton,  two  days  to  collect  his  "  baggage  "  ;  but  as  he 
had  been  able  to  find  many  of  his  own  things,  which  he  had 
either  sold  or  pawned,  he  felt  very  much  himself  when  he 
called  to  resign  his  peculiar  position,  and  return  the  money 
which  had  been  entrusted  to  him.  This  would  leave  him 
only  ninety  dollars  of  his  own  as  capital  with  which  to  face 
his  destiny;  so  that  a  nature  less  altruistic  than  his  own 
might  have  found  some  difficulty  in  explaining  the  smile  of 
confidence  which  graced  his  features ;  but  to  Phil,  himself, 
the  future  seemed  to  hold  out  rosy  arms  of  welcome. 

At  the  Palace  Hotel,  he  found  a  note  from  Mile.  Florian, 
telling  him  that  she  had  taken  a  house  on  Pacific  Avenue, 
and  asking  him  to  call  at  his  earliest  convenience.  It  was 
well  out  toward  the  Presidio,  but  Phil  decided  to  ride  in 
state,  so  he  called  a  cab  and  very  much  enjoyed  the  view 
of  the  beautiful  bay.  Phil  shared  with  the  lower  animals 
a  simplicity  which  made  it  possible  for  him  to  lose  himself 
in  a  season  of  fleeting  prosperity,  without  fretting  because 
the  wheel  of  fortune  refused  to  stand  still. 

He  found  the  address  to  be  a  small  frame  house  standing 
upon  the  side  of  the  avenue  closer  to  the  bay,  and  mount- 
ing the  steps  gaily,  he  rang  the  bell  with  a  sigh  of  relief. 
The  door  was  promptly  opened  by  a  bright-eyed  Jap  who 

193 


i94        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

held  out  a  silver  tray,  and  smiled  cautiously,  as  is  the  cus- 
tom of  those  who  have  learned  the  value  of  a  smile. 

Phil  was  shown  into  a  small  parlor,  furnished  with  ex- 
cellent and  original  taste,  and  while  he  was  considering 
the  best  form  in  which  to  offer  his  resignation,  Miriam 
entered. 

She  was  beautifully  gowned  and  carried  herself  grace- 
fully and  without  showing  the  slightest  trace  of  embarrass- 
ment Phil  had  arisen  upon  her  entrance,  but  hardly  knew 
whether  to  step  forward  to  shake  hands,  or  stand  at  atten- 
tion like  a  footman.  In  spite  of  her  poise,  Miriam's  con- 
duct was  something  of  a  compromise.  She  did  not  offer 
her  hand,  but  she  did  smile  as  though  welcoming  a  friend. 
"  Good  evening,  Mr.  Latham,"  she  said  in  pleasant,  even 
tones.  "  I  rather  expected  you  last  night.  I  am  glad  to 
see  that  you  acceded  to  my  request  in  the  matter  of  evening 
dress."  " 

"  I  have  come  to  resign,"  said  Phil  bluntly. 

Miriam  seated  herself  and  extended  the  privilege  to  Phil 
by  a  motion  of  the  hand.  "  I  suppose  that  since  we  parted, 
you  have  found  that  I  have  not  lived  up  to  my  side  of  the 
contract ;  for  I  cannot  believe  that  you  would  squarely  back 
out  after  having  carefully  considered  the  matter,  and  after 
having  asked,  and  been  granted,  an  increase  of  wages.  Or 
is  this  merely  another  strike  for  higher  wages  ?  " 

"  No,  this  is  a  sympathetic  strike,"  answered  Phil.  "  My 
will  feels  enough  sympathy  with  my  feelings  to  prompt  me 
to  absolutely  refuse  to  continue  in  so  distasteful  a  service." 

"  I  regret  to  say  that  my  judgment  cannot  sympathize 
with  your  methods,"  said  Miriam  with  frank  disapproval. 
"  I  have  taken  this  house  for  a  month  upon  your  assurance 
that  you  would  continue  our  contract  at  least  that  long. 


HIS    RESIGNATION  195 

I  have  no  desire  at  all  to  remain  in  San  Francisco  a  month, 
unless  I  can  study  the  side  of  it  which  would  ordinarily 
remain  hidden." 

Phil  was  disconcerted:  he  saw  his  own  responsibility  in 
the  matter ;  and,  as  he  was  not  in  a  position  to  assume  the 
rent  of  the  house,  he  could  only  soothe  his  vanity  at  the 
price  of  his  justice. 

"  I  have  brought  back  your  money,"  he  began  lamely,  "  but 
really  I  don't  believe  that  I  could  go  on  with  it.  If  you 
want  to  use  me  as  janitor  or  cook,  or  something  of  the  kind, 
I  think  I  could  stand  that  a  month;  but  to  be  a  —  well,  I 
hardly  know  what  I  feel  like,  when  you  give  me  a  jerk,  as 
you  did  several  times  last  night." 

"  I  suppose  I  should  try  to  see  the  matter  from  your 
viewpoint ;  but  really  I  am  only  able  to  see  it  from  my  own. 
I  found  you  out  of  employment,  and  out  of  money,  and 
yet,  just  exactly  the  type  of  man  I  needed  to  carry  out  a 
long-cherished  plan.  You  agreed  to  the  plan,  and,  as  the 
men  of  my  acquaintance  have  a  custom  of  keeping  their 
word,  I  made  arrangements  without  expecting  any  further 
difficulties.  There  was  no  written  contract;  you  are  only 
held  by  a  promise ;  and,  therefore,  if  you  choose  to  repudi- 
ate the  agreement,  there  is  nothing  more  to  be  said." 

She  looked  into  the  grate  where  a  small  fire  was  burning. 
Conscious  rectitude  crowned  her,  and  outraged  trust  was 
her  ermine  robe.  Phil  sat  in  frowning  silence,  and  cursed 
most  of  his  earlier  friends,  as  he  felt  himself  slipping  back 
into  the  position  from  which  he  had  thought  himself  re- 
lieved. 

"  As  long  as  you  feel  this  way  about  it,"  he  said  at  last, 
"there  is  nothing  for  me  to  do  but  go  on  with  it;  but  I 
hate  it." 


196       THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  Would  you  mind  telling  me  what  has  so  remarkably  im- 
proved your  fortunes  in  such  a  short  time  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  won  a  little  better  than  five  hundred  dollars  playing 
faro." 

"  With  my  money  ?  " 

"  No,  with  my  money,  which  you  had  advanced  on  my 
first  week's  wages.  I  kept  your  money  apart  so  that  I 
could  get  the  duds,  if  I  lost  my  own  money." 

Miriam  smiled.  "  That  is  right ;  always  be  strict  in  money 
matters." 

"  Now  that  I  am  once  more  in  your  employ,  do  you  wish 
me  to  keep  track  of  what  I  spend?  " 

"  It  will  not  be  necessary.  If  it  were  merely  a  question 
of  money,  I  should  not  insist  for  a  minute,  upon  your  carry- 
ing out  your  contract;  but  I  cannot  find  another  man  who 
would  suit  me.  You  have  the  appearance  of  a  gentleman, 
and  yet,  perhaps  because  you  have  at  one  time  lived  as  a 
gentleman,  you  are  able  to  maintain  our  peculiar  relations 
without  difficulty." 

"  At  least,  I  am  able  to  maintain  them,"  grumbled  Phil. 
"  It  is  half-past  nine ;  do  we  stir  up  the  lower  layer  this 
evening  ?  " 

"  Would  it  be  possible  for  me  to  play  faro,  where  you 
played?" 

"  It  is  not  possible.  You  will  have  to  learn  that  there  are 
many  things  which  even  you  cannot  do ;  but  if  you  wish  to 
play  faro,  it  can  easily  be  arranged ;  and  truth  to  tell,  a 
collection  of  gamblers  do  not  make  a  dull  study.  The  self- 
conscious  stupidity  of  a  gambler,  shielding  as  it  does  a 
shrewd  alertness,  is  quite  an  interesting  item  —  to  one 
whose  investigating  spirit  leads  toward  the  abnormal.  I 
shall  arrange  it  for  you  to-morrow." 


HIS    RESIGNATION  197 

"  Thank  you,  very  much ;  and  I  should  also  like  to  see 
a  dog  fight  —  I  mean  a  regular  pit  fight  —  a  prize  fight 
between  men,  and  a  cock  fight." 

"  Certainly,"  acquiesced  Phil  with  grave  decorum.  "  No 
modern  woman's  education  would  be  complete  without 
these.  They  are  so  helpful  in  removing  the  feminine 
tendency  to  shrink  from  outer  violence,  which  has  wielded 
so  large  an  influence  in  continuing  woman's  dependency 
upon  man.  I  noticed  an  item  in  the  evening's  paper  which 
indicated  that  there  would  be  a  hanging  in  the  state  within 
a  month.  A  legal  hanging  is  less  picturesque  than  a  lynch- 
ing, especially  if  it  takes  the  form  of  burning  at  the  stake ; 
but  still  it  is  helpful;  and  in  the  meantime,  we  might  visit 
a  few  slaughter  houses.  I  understand  that  getting  accus- 
tomed to  seeing  lambs'  throats  cut  has  quite  a  beneficial 
effect  in  preparing  one  to  take  an  active  part  in  boosting 
civilization.  Have  you  studied  boxing  and  fencing,  or  did 
you  omit  the  preliminaries  and  content  yourself  with  jui 
juitsu?" 

"  Strange  as  it  may  seem  to  you,  I  can  box,  fence,  prac- 
tise jui  juitsu,  and  am  also  a  good  shot  with  the  revolver." 

"  I  am  surprised  you  did  not  give  me  a  good  shaking  for 
intruding  the  other  evening.  Had  I  been  more  fully  ac- 
quainted with  you,  I  should  have  ordered  an  ambulance  —  to 
convey  the  remains  of  the  masher  to  the  nearest  repair  shop. 
I  presume  that  you  are  more  in  step  with  the  world  than  I 
am,  but  you  seem  like  a  foreigner  to  the  terrestrial  sphere ; 
which  statement  is  made  merely  as  an  observation  and  is  not 
intended  as  derogatory  criticism." 

"  And  it  is  accepted  in  the  impersonal  spirit  in  which  it 
was  given,"  rejoined  Miriam,  entirely  at  ease  and  appar- 
ently enjoying  herself.  "  But,"  she  continued  enthusi- 


i98        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

astically,  "  I  do  not  feel  that  I  am  less  a  woman,  because  I 
am  more  a  man.  I  can  sew  and  cook,  play  harp,  violin,  and 
flute—" 

"  I  was  willing  to  bet  that  you  would  not  include  the 
feminine  old  piano,"  interrupted  Phil. 

"  No,  the  piano  is  not  feminine.  Not  one  woman  in  a 
thousand  is  able  to  make  piano-playing  anything  else  but 
childish  thumping.  The  piano  is  strictly  a  man's  instru- 
ment; the  violin,  demanding  as  it  does,  grace  and  quick 
feeling,  and  delicate  touch,  is  as  strictly  a  woman's  instru- 
ment ;  but  what  I  wished  to  convey,  was  the  fact  that  I  did 
not  enter  man's  domain  until  I  had  pretty  thoroughly  pre- 
pared myself  to  live  as  a  woman.  I  can  nurse,  and  take 
care  of  babies;  I  can  swim  and  sail  a  boat, — " 

"  Excellent  combinations,  both,"  commended  Phil. 

"  And  I  can  do  all  kinds  of  fancy  work.  Life  appeals  to 
me;  not  merely  some  little  phase  of  it,  but  life  itself,  the 
bigness  of  it,  the  scope  of  it,  the  endless  variety  of  it.  I 
am  not  morbid;  I  do  not  seek  the  tawdry  cheapness  of 
strained  emotions;  but  I  do  want  to  find  out  whether  dif- 
ferent levels  have  different  desires ;  or  are  merely  forced  to 
use  different  means  to  gratify  the  same  desires.  I  have 
had  wider  advantages  than  most  women,  or  men  either, 
and  yet  my  entire  life  is  a  compromise.  I  do  not  do  what 
I  wish  to  do;  I  do  what  I  may;  and  that  girl  with  the 
golden  hair,  and  those  poor  creatures  who  made  up  her 
audience,  do  the  same ;  and  you  " —  rising  to  her  feet  and 
looking  down  upon  Phil  like  an  empress  — "  are  doing  the 
same.  You  played  away  your  summer  like  the  grasshopper, 
and  now  in  your  winter  you  are  trying  to  hide  beneath 
superciliousness  and  sarcasm,  the  hurt  vanity  which  you 
have  been  forced  to  compromise.  I  am  living  my  life  more 


HIS    RESIGNATION  199 

fully  than  you  ever  lived  yours;  so  be  cautious,  lest  the 
slurs  you  cast  upon  the  new  woman  do  not  rebound  upon 
your  own  head." 

"  You  read  character  remarkably  well,"  said  Phil,  rather 
pleased  at  the  mood  which  he  had  called  forth.  "If  you 
will  forget  for  the  moment  that  I  am  a  menial,  I  should 
like  to  say  that  I  rather  admire  you,  at  long  range.  I  can 
hardly  imagine  a  man  who  would  feel  sufficiently  a  man 
to  make  love  to  you.  I  am  speaking  of  you  as  a  type,  not 
as  an  individual." 

"  I  rather  think,  myself,"  said  Miriam  shrewdly,  "  that 
you  men  of  the  present  generation  are  to  be  congratulated. 
There  are  at  present  vested  rights  in  the  male  sex  which 
out-weigh  superior  personality  in  those  of  the  opposite  sex ; 
but  sooner  or  later,  the  test  is  to  be  one  of  personality,  not 
of  sex." 

"  There  will  likely  be  some  modifications  in  the  future ; 
but  I  think  it  safe  to  assume  that  the  question  of  sex  will 
never  be  entirely  eliminated  from  human  affairs.  In  the 
meantime,"  he  added,  rising,  "  I  am  prepared  to  carry  out 
suggestions  as  far  as  possible ;  and  am  becoming  interested 
in  them  myself,  which  is  quite  additional  to  anything  in  our 
contract." 

"  You  may  call  for  me  to-morrow  evening  at  six,  wearing 
evening  dress,  and  prepared  to  escort  me  to  one  of  the 
fashionable  cafes  for  dinner.  Good  night." 

She  seated  herself  in  a  chair  and  Phil  went  to  the  door 
alone.  He  opened  it,  closed  it,  and  returned  to  her.  He 
knew  that  his  only  reason  for  returning  was  that  he  was 
loath  to  leave  her ;  but  he  asked  quite  naturally,  "  Do  your 
servants  know  of  our  relations,  or  shall  I  act  like  an  or- 
dinary visitor?  " 


200        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Miriam  studied  a  moment.  "  Act  like  an  intimate 
friend,"  she  said,  and  then  added  with  slow  distinctness, 
"  when  the  servants  are  present." 

She  sat  staring  into  the  fire  a  long  time  after  the  door 
had  closed  behind  him.  Several  times  she  sighed,  and  at 
last  she  arose  and  paced  the  floor. 

"  What  a  mystery  personal  attraction  is !  "  she  exclaimed. 
"  I  am  able  to  see  the  shallowness  of  this  boy's  character ; 
I  am  able  to  see  how  almost  impossible  it  would  be  to  stimu- 
late him  to  the  continuity  of  purpose  necessary  for  a  great 
action;  I  see  through  him,  weigh  and  measure  him  without 
the  slightest  attempt  at  self-deception ;  and  yet  I  love  him  as 
much  now  as  when  I  first  heard  his  voice.  I  loved  him  be- 
fore I  ever  saw  him,  and  now  that  I  see  him  plainly,  and 
estimate  him  perfectly,  I  love  him  still.  And,  I  shall  win 
him  if  I  can." 


CHAPTER  NINETEEN 

DISTURBING  THEORIES 

PHIL  found  the  next  three  weeks  quite  a  pleasant  change 
from  the  previous  months  of  leanness.  He  continued  to 
live  at  the  St.  Francis,  where  he  was  regarded  as  an  ec- 
centric person  of  great  wealth;  he  dropped  into  the  Cafe 
Royal  occasionally,  for  an  early  morning  bout  with  faro, 
roulette,  or  poker,  and  he  found  it  much  less  irksome  to  be 
a  hired  escort  than  he  would  have  imagined  possible. 

It  did  not  take  many  excursions  to  disgust  Miriam  with 
the  perfectly  raw  life  which  Phil  selected  for  this  very  pur- 
pose. She  was  forced  to  admit  that  even  vice,  arrayed  in 
fine  linen  and  graced  with  good  manners,  was  not  so  re- 
pulsive as  identically  the  same  vice,  filthy  and  loud,  and 
reveling  in  its  own  brutality.  She  insisted  that  the  one  was 
as  artificial  and  as  affected  as  the  other,  and  that  neither 
was  the  "  life  in  the  raw  "  which  she  wanted  to  study ;  so 
she  entered  quite  freely  into  his  plan  to  invade  Bohemia. 

Phil  had  decided  ideas  upon  the  code  of  this  much  al- 
luded to,  but  little  understood,  empire;  and  he  made  his 
selections  with  great  care.  He  had  a  deep-rooted  antipathy 
for  dirt  and  disorder,  and  it  required  something  more  than 
chafing  dish,  art,  cigarettes,  and  front  names,  to  lift  him 
into  a  state  of  real  ecstasy ;  but  he  did  enjoy  an  atmosphere 
wherein  the  kindly  cynicism  of  age  mingled  with  the  opti- 
mistic eagerness  of  youth  upon  a  playground  just  outside 

2OI 


202        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  world,  and  where  all  the  movements  of  the  world 
were  brought  to  be  used  as  balls  in  the  games  of  these 
children  who  scoffed  at  the  jurisdiction  of  fussy  old  Father 
Time. 

Having  again  come  into  his  old  time  smile  and  winning 
ways,  Phil  found  but  little  difficulty  in  securing  an  en- 
trance to  the  circles  which  appealed  to  him,  was  at  once  ac- 
cepted as  being  one  of  the  good  fellows  from  which  friends 
are  made,  and  was  not  asked  to  take  an  examination. 
Miriam's  distinctive  beauty  contained  the  element  of  chal- 
lenge ;  but  she  stood  all  tests  and  came  from  them  with  the 
stamp  of  approval  placed  upon  the  bits  of  life  which  she 
offered  for  their  inspection. 

By  slow  degrees,  the  formality  between  employer  and 
employee  had  been  dropped  and  Phil  had  grown  very  fond 
of  her  without,  however,  feeling  love  for  her  person,  or 
awe  of  her  learning  and  accomplishments.  He  tapped  the 
storehouse  of  her  knowledge  without  stint,  but  did  not  feel 
dependent  upon  her.  In  fact,  he  remained  consistently 
boyish,  and  felt  that  he  had  done  her  much  honor  when  he 
conceded  that  it  had  taken  remarkable  patience  and  will- 
power to  produce  so  complex  a  culture;  but  he  had  never 
felt  the  woman  of  her  so  plainly  as  he  had  upon  the  first 
evening  of  their  acquaintance;  and  Miriam  realized  this 
with  the  keenness  of  an  open  wound. 

Either  in  spite  of,  or  because  of,  their  utter  disregard  of 
the  conventional,  there  had  never  been  a  moment  when  their 
conduct  had  threatened  the  proprieties.  During  their  visits 
to  Bohemia,  she  had  called  him  Lenord,  and  he  had  called 
her  Valerie;  but  his  hand  had  never  pressed  hers,  and  his 
eyes  had  never  rested  upon  hers  with  that  strange,  intoxi- 
cating warmth  which  eyes  know  how  to  send.  They  had 


DISTURBING    THEORIES     203 

risked  their  reputations  without  having  availed  themselves 
of  an  outlaw's  privilege.  It  was  akin  to  an  artist  defying 
signs,  laws,  and  wardens,  in  order  to  get  the  coveted  view 
of  a  peculiar  coloring.  They  discussed  every  phase  of  life 
with  perfect  freedom;  but  because  they  stripped  the  pre- 
scribed of  its  pretence  and  sham,  it  also  lost  its  mysterious 
charm,  and  the  wall  of  frankness  which  had  taken  the  place 
of  the  screen  of  conventionality  between  them,  seemed  so 
impassable  that  Miriam  was  harassed  by  a  wistful  longing 
which  would  not  be  soothed.  She  found  herself  in  the 
mortifying  position  of  a  woman  who  feels  no  necessity  of 
restraining  the  man  whom  she  loves  and  who  is  upon  terms 
of  the  utmost  freedom  and  intimacy.  She  was  forced  to 
admit  that  with  a  man,  or  rather  boy,  like  Phil,  her  method 
of  attraction  was  a  total  failure. 

"  Whither  to-night,  your  Highness  ?  "  asked  Phil,  coming 
into  the  little  parlor  and  standing  before  Miriam  with  mock 
humility.  He  had  fallen  into  the  custom  of  addressing  her 
in  the  stilted  forms  of  stage  royalty,  and  both  of  them 
found  it  pleasant  and  amusing.  The  room  was  lighted  by 
candles  under  shades  of  soft  pink,  and  as  its  walls  were  of 
Oriental  tapestry  in  which  red  was  the  predominating  color, 
both  Phil  and  Miriam  were  at  their  best. 

Miriam  had  been  fretting  before  his  arrival ;  but  as  the 
light  from  the  grate  fire  danced  across  his  face,  it  seemed  to 
her  as  though  her  entire  body  was  smiling.  This  was  the 
normal  effect  of  the  normal  Phil  Lytton :  few  ever  thought 
of  asking  him  what  he  had  done,  or  what  he  could  do;  it 
was  enough  that  he  be  himself,  and  they  warmed  in  his 
beams  as  in  the  beams  of  the  sun.  He  knew  nothing  of 
this;  but  during  the  outer  coldness  of  his  search  for  work 
he  had  not  secreted  enough  vitality  for  his  own  needs ;  and 


204        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

it  was  the  giving  out  of  his  surplus  which  had  been  his  great 
joy  in  life,  unconscious  of  it  though  he  was. 

"  Why  do  we  like  and  dislike  ?  "  asked  Miriam,  ignoring 
his  question. 

"  For  exactly  the  same  reason  that  water  seeks  its  level," 
replied  Phil.  "  Are  we  going  soon,  or  am  I  invited  to  re- 
move my  coat  ?  " 

"  Oh,  remove  your  coat,  if  you  wish,"  said  Miriam  im- 
patiently. "  Why  is  that  you  always  rebel  against  real 
thought  ?  You  generally  reply  with  some  trite  saying  which 
is  quite  likely  to  be  irritating,  and  yet  you  have  a  mind  if 
you  care  to  use  it." 

"  Some  ancient  sage  said  that  the  world  was  a  comedy  to 
those  who  thought,  a  tragedy  to  those  who  felt ;  but  this  has 
nothing  to  do  with  amateur  thinkers  of  slight  experience. 
I  have  been  thrown  beneath  the  harrow  of  an  untried 
thinker  too  often  to  see  the  comedy  of  it.  What 's  the  use 
of  so  much  thinking?  When  I  am  happy,  I  simply  give 
way  to  it  and  enjoy  myself.  A  thinker  has  to  find  out 
just  what  little,  isolated  item  it  is  which  produces  the  hap- 
piness, whether  or  not  it  is  reasonable  to  be  happy  about 
so  trivial  an  item,  if  it  will  be  possible  for  the  same  item 
to  produce  the  same  condition  in  the  future;  and  by  this 
time  he  has  raised  the  steam  in  his  boilers  to  such  a  pitch 
that  all  the  happiness  has  escaped  through  his  safety  valve. 
I  don't  really  care  if  I  am  a  machine,  a  chemical  combina- 
tion, a  soul  trying  to  discover  itself,  or  what  the  Dickens. 
I  am  I,  and  half  a  dozen  other  personalities,  and  we  live 
in  a  funny  clay  house  which  we  call  a  body.  When  I 
formerly  maintained  an  establishment,  and  a  guest  came  to 
see  me,  I  pointed  out  the  tobacco  and  liquids,  and  waved 
my  hands  in  a  generous  circle,  to  indicate  that  the  castle 


DISTURBING    THEORIES      205 

was  his.  You  would  have  weighed  him,  measured  him,  ex- 
amined his  eyes  for  liver  trouble,  his  throat  for  malignant 
germs,  and  his  fingernails  for  signs  of  the  times ;  but  would 
he  have  remained  long  or  repeated  his  visit?  Not  if  he 
was  worth  while,  and  had  sense  enough  to  see  it.  If  you 
will  permit — " 

"  I  '11  permit  anything  now,"  interrupted  Miriam,  "  for 
I  have  started  you  to  thinking."  . 

"  Yes,  and  you  have  reduced  my  happiness  to  just  the 
amount  of  vitality  it  takes  to  run  my  thinker.  I  was  about 
to  say,  that  if  you  will  excuse  a  little  advice,  you  will  find 
it  more  agreeable  to  welcome  your  emotions  with  faith, 
and  not  subject  them  to  the  discomfort  of  a  complete  identi- 
fication. Emotions  are  shy." 

"  I  am  surprised  to  find  that  you  have  any  opinions  in 
the  matter." 

"  You  are  no  more  surprised  than  I  am.  I  did  not  have 
any  until  you  pestered  them  into  me  a  moment  ago.  I  only 
think  when  driven  to  it." 

"  Well,  I  '11  accept  the  responsibility  of  it  this  time,"  said 
Miriam,  smiling ;  but  her  smile  was  serious.  She  had  found 
it  hard  to  arouse  the  inner  Phil  Lytton,  and  rejoiced  to  see 
the  real  interest  in  his  face.  "  We  thinkers,  if  you  have 
included  me  among  them  as  your  reproaches  indicate,  be- 
lieve implicitly  in  cause  and  effect.  To  us  nothing  ever 
happens,  joy  and  sorrow  spring  from  certain  realities,  and 
we  seek  to  find  rules  and  reasons  for  every  emotion  —  even 
for  that  very  abnormal  emotion  we  call  love." 

Phil  seated  himself  and  looked  into  the  fire.  "  Love  is 
not  abnormal,"  he  said  seriously.  "  It  is  the  most  natural 
of  all  the  emotions." 

"  How  can  even  an  emotion  remain  natural  when  hedged 


206        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

in  by  so  many  artificial  restrictions?  There  is  more  of  the 
reason  of  expediency,  than  the  freedom  of  nature,  in 
modern  love." 

"  As  a  theory,  perhaps,"  granted  Phil,  "  but  love  itself 
refuses  to  abide  by  the  restrictions.  We  speak  lightly  of  a 
love  story;  but  true  love  stories  have  never  been  written. 
To  some  of  us,  love  means  a  pale,  polite  fondness ;  to  others, 
it  is  a  wild  mania  which  destroys  self-control  and  discretion  ; 
while  to  the  chosen  it  is  a  great  force  which  sweeps  us  from 
impersonal  admiration  to  the  heights  of  passion  without 
ever  for  a  moment  hushing  the  true  reverence  we  feel  for 
the  one  we  love." 

"  Have  you  ever  felt  this  sort  of  love  ?  "  asked  Miriam 
after  a  moment.  Her  voice  was  a  little  husky,  but  her  face 
was  perfectly  calm. 

"  I  thought  so,  for  several  years,"  answered  Phil  slowly. 
"  Now,  I  hardly  know." 

A  great  bubble  of  joy  seemed  to  burst  within  the  bosom 
of  the  woman.  It  was  this  old  love  which  had  kept  him 
from  her;  it  was  herself  which  now  made  him  doubt. 
"  What  kind  of  woman  was  it  ?  "  she  asked,  with  a  primi- 
tive directness  which  perfectly  matched  the  primitive  feel- 
ings which  were  surging  through  her. 

"  She  had  a  very  strong  character,"  answered  Phil,  his 
brow  drawn  as  he  attempted  to  visualize  Edith.  "  I  think 
it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  love  any  but  a  strong 
woman.  The  weak,  silly,  clinging — " 

"  I  know,"  interjected  Miriam  impatiently.  "  The  emo- 
tional, the  impulsive,  the  intuitive  in  yourself  reaches  out 
for  the  logical,  the  calm,  the  reasoning.  Tell  me  about 
her." 

"  Oh,  the  description  of  a  woman,  never  is  a  description. 


DISTURBING    THEORIES      207 

After  I  had  told  all  I  know  of  her,  you  would  not  see  the 
woman  that  I  see,  nor  could  you  understand  why  she  meant 
so  much  to  me." 

"  Partially  true ;  but  try  it." 

"  I  never  attempted  to  analyze  her ;  I  only  knew  that  I 
was  happy  with  her,  and  lonely  away  from  her.  This  was 
enough  for  me;  but  I  was  not  enough  for  her.  She  in- 
sisted upon  my  taking  an  active  part  in  life,  a  part  for 
which  I  was  utterly  unfitted,  and  —  well  I  proved  to  every- 
one's satisfaction  that  I  was  unfitted,  which  is  why  you 
found  me  as  you  found  me." 

"And  you  still  love  her?" 

"  I  frequently  ask  myself  the  same  question,  although  the 
disloyalty  of  it  hurts  me.  I  fear  that  in  asking  myself  the 
question  I  also  answer  it  —  and  yet  she  is  still  a  part  of 
me.  I  don't  know." 

"  Was  she  able  to  help  you  after  having  urged  you  to 
try?" 

"  Not  at  all." 

"What  change  in  her  did  your  failure  make?" 

"  I  did  not  wait  to  see.  As  soon  as  I  hit  the  gravel,  I 
started  on  the  run,  and  have  been  running  ever  since." 

"  And  she  is  still  a  part  of  you,"  murmured  Miriam  aloud, 
but  speaking  to  herself. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Phil,  also  largely  to  himself,  "  she  is 
still  a  part  of  me.  Many  things  I  feel  as  she  would  feel 
them,  rather  than  as  I  would  have  felt  them  without  her. 
Sometimes  I  almost  hate  her,  at  other  times  I  feel  my  un- 
worthiness  of  her,  and  it  makes  me  sorrowful  and  repent- 
ant, and  I  long  for  a  new  trial  to  prove  that  I  am  not  the 
weakling  I  appear." 

"  I  should  say,"  stated  Miriam  as  though  diagnosing  an 


208        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

unusual  sympton,  "  that  you  really  did  love  her,  but  that 
she  was  not  your  true  mate.  I  believe  in  mating,  rather 
than  indiscriminating  marriage.  It  is  as  impossible  to 
unite  certain  natures  as  to  carry  nitric  acid  in  a  silver 
vessel." 

Phil  nodded  his  head,  and  she  continued :  "  And  this 
brings  us  back  to  our  original  proposition,  the  whyfore  of 
likes  and  dislikes.  My  theory  is,  that  space  is  swept  by 
hundreds  of  rays.  Certain  natures  collect  more  of  these 
rays  then  they  need,  others  less.  When  a  nature  acts  like 
a  sun  glass,  in  collecting  rays  and  focusing  them  into  a 
nature  deficient  in  them,  it  produces  a  sensation  of  pleasure 
in  this  latter  nature  which  we  call  liking,  or  love.  If  the 
combination  is  complete,  this  latter  nature  will  also  direct 
rays  upon  the  former  which  the  former  has  desired  with- 
out having  been  able  to  collect.  This  is  why  some  mar- 
riages fail  and  some  succeed.  It  is  not  a  question  of  justice 
or  virtue  or  duty.  This  is  the  materialistic  explanation  of 
love,  which  is  not  abnormal  as  I  said  a  moment  ago;  but 
which,  in  its  perfection,  is  so  unusual  that  it  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  being  abnormal.  A  marriage  which  does  not 
bring  strength  and  peace  to  both  the  man  and  the  woman, 
is  not  a  marriage  at  all ;  it  is  merely  a  mistake." 

"  You  have  an  admirable  way  of  setting  aside  an  institu- 
tion which  is  supposed  to  be  the  foundation  of  society." 

"  I  have  not  set  it  aside,"  rejoined  Miriam.  "  I  have 
merely  suggested  that  it  be  made  to  live  up  to  a  decent 
standard.  Every  day,  Ignorance  is  married  to  Weakness, 
and  the  world  raise*  a  complacent  finger  and  says  ponder- 
ously, '  Whom  God  has  joined  together,  let  no  man  put 
asunder.'  I  insist  that  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  will 


DISTURBING    THEORIES      209 

hurt  no  one,  neither  will  it  destroy  nor  frighten  innocence ; 
therefore  I  want  matings  to  be  investigated  scientifically. 
When  the  right  man  mates  the  right  woman,  it  does  not 
require  the  bonds  of  matrimony  to  hold  them  together, 
nor  can  all  the  divorce  courts  in  the  world  put  them  asunder. 
This  is  what  I  hoped  to  find  proved  conclusively  when  I 
asked  you  to  show  me  life  in  the  raw.  I  wanted  to  see  if 
instinct  alone  was  not  enough  to  cause  natural  selection  of 
mates;  but  the  women  are  always  too  weak.  Woman  is 
not  able  to  defy  society." 

"  And  the  very  ones  who  have  strength  sufficient,  know 
the  certainty  of  this  so  well  that  they  do  not  attempt  it," 
added  Phil.  "  You  may  scoff  at  conventionality  all  you 
please;  it  is  the  very  framework  of  Society." 

"  Framework !  "  repeated  Miriam  sarcastically.  "  This 
is  what  disgusts  me  so  with  conventionality ;  the  few  try  to 
make  the  many  believe  that  it  actually  is  the  framework, 
whereas  it  is  merely  the  robe.  Society  wears  conventions 
as  the  individual  wears  clothing.  The  individual  wears 
clothing,  not  to  protect  modesty;  but  to  arouse  pas- 
sion through  curiosity;  and  Society,  which  is  constantly 
striving  to  stifle  the  individual,  establishes  a  convention, 
raises  it  to  the  dignity  of  a  religious  ceremony,  and  sup- 
plies with  pretence  whatever  is  lacking  in  fact.  Until  it  is 
proved  to  me  that  all  marriages  are  decent,  I  refuse  to  be- 
lieve that  the  decency  of  any  marriage  is  caused  by  the 
institution  of  marriage  itself." 

Phil  had  never  quite  outgrown  an  uncomfortable  feeling 
whenever  Miriam  expressed  herself  freely  upon  subjects 
which  had  seldom  been  more  than  hinted  at,  by  the  women 
of  his  former  life.  "  Any  of  these  questions  are  easily 


210        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

settled  in  the  abstract,"  he  said  gravely,  "but  would  you, 
yourself,  dare  to  forego  marriage  and  trust  entirely  to  the 
man  your  instinct  pointed  out  as  your  mate?  " 

"  I  would  make  no  rules  for  my  love,"  answered  Miriam 
in  a  low  tone.  "  I  know  the  world ;  my  mate  would  know 
the  world;  and  we  should  have  to  live  in  the  world.  I 
should  not  ask  him  to  suffer  any  form  of  pain  for  me 
which  was  not  absolutely  necessary;  neither  would  he  ask 
this  of  me.  It  is  always  painful  to  live  in  the  world  and 
not  be  of  it;  and  so,  unless  there  was  some  great  reason 
against  it,  I  should  wish  to  marry;  but  if  this  reason  were 
insurmountable,  I  should  shut  my  ears  to  the  world,  and 
listen  only  to  love." 

HdP  voice  thrilled  with  earnestness.  It  was  a  low-toned 
voice,  mellow  and  musical,  and  the  passionate  melody  of 
it  entered  the  man's  nature  through  his  sense  of  hearing, 
played  gently  upon  his  other  senses  until  all  were  swaying 
in  rhythmic  harmony.  He  breathed  deeply  and  the  air  he 
drew  in  seemed  to  sweep  through  him  like  wine.  Warm 
waves  rolled  over  him,  and  he  forgot  the  keen  intellect  of 
the  woman  beside  him,  and  remembered  only  that  she  was 
a  woman.  For  a  long  minute,  he  sat  in  silence. 

"  I  am  surprised  at  your  depth  of  feeling,"  he  said  at 
last  in  as  calm  a  voice  as  he  could  command.  "  I  always 
thought  that  you  were  utterly  cold." 

"  Cold  ? "  she  cried  in  a  tone  which  caused  him  to  sit 
erect  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon  hers.  "  I  am  cold,  even  as 
are  the  ashes  which  bank  a  bed  of  living  coals.  When  I 
told  you  weeks  ago  that  I  had  not  invaded  man's  field  until 
after  I  had  fully  developed  the  woman  in  me,  I  told  you 
the  simple  truth.  I  am  still  a  woman,  a  complete  woman, 
a  natural  woman;  and  I  have  within  me  a  woman's  virgin 


DISTURBING   THEORIES      211 

love,  strong  and  passionate;  but  hidden  away  in  a  guarded 
inner  chamber  to  await  the  master  call  of  my  mate." 

Their  eyes  were  clinging  together  in  an  embrace  which 
seemed  to  draw  them  closer  and  closer.  Phil  could  feel 
the  blood  leave  his  muscles  and  flow  to  the  nerves  of  sen- 
sation in  arms  and  chest  and  back;  his  lips  yearned  for 
hers;  his  whole  body  seemed  to  impel  him  with  a  force 
greater,  and  entirely  apart,  from  his  will,  and  yet  he  did 
not  move. 

Miriam's  eyes  burned  into  his,  and  she  noted  their  grow- 
ing brilliancy  which  matched  the  color  which  had  swept  to 
his  face ;  but  when  he  made  no  movement  to  come  to  her, 
she  shrugged  her  shoulders  with  affected  lightness,  and  said, 
"  But  alas,  theories  so  often  have  to  die  as  theories,  ffear 
I  should  find  it  most  difficult  to  discover  the  man  I  should 
consider  my  mate." 

This  was  lightly  spoken;  but  Phil  felt  the  sting  of  it, 
even  though  he  was  not  sure  that  any  was  intended  for 
himself.  Instantly  he  experienced  a  reaction,  almost  as 
great  as  though  his  proffered  love  had  been  refused  with 
scorn,  and  he  settled  back  in  his  chair,  and  rejoined  with 
a  lightness  which  was  also  affected :  "  If  you  wish  a  sug- 
gestion from  one  who  has  not  made  a  study  of  love  as  you 
have,  most  men  would  be  afraid  of  you.  A  man  likes  to 
feel  that  he  is  looked  up  to,  and  it  would  need  a  very  strong 
man  to  hold  out  a  helping  hand  to  you." 

"  I  sometimes  doubt  if  my  mate  would  be  as  strong  a 
man  as  I  am  a  woman,"  replied  Miriam  candidly ;  "  but 
we  have  wasted  nearly  an  entire  evening  in  talk  and  have 
arrived  at  no  definite  conclusions." 

"  In  order  to  get  further  light  upon  the  subject  of  love," 
suggested  Phil,  "  we  might  go  to  the  Elite,  and  coax  some  ad- 


212        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

ditional  testimony  from  Mile.  La  Belle  Fatima.  We  have 
plenty  of  time  for  that,  if  you  are  not  tired." 

"  Tired !  "  scoffed  Miriam,  springing  to  her  feet.  "  Come, 
let  us  go.  I  am  glad  that  you  thought  of  it." 

While  she  was  putting  on  her  wraps,  Phil  paced  the 
floor  in  deep  thought. 


CHAPTER  TWENTY 

EXIT  THE   GOLDEN-HAIRED  GIRL 

THEY  rode  on  the  street  car  to  where  it  turned  off  from 
Pacific  to  Polk,  and  then,  as  it  was  much  too  early  for  the 
appearance  of  the  girl  with  the  golden  hair,  they  alighted, 
and  continued  afoot.  It  was  a  delightful  night,  with  no 
breeze,  and  so  clear  that  the  stars  seemed  almost  neigh- 
borly. 

Miriam  was  in  a  mood  of  brilliant  gaiety,  a  mood  which 
Phil  had  never  before  seen,  and  all  his  own  buoyancy  leaped 
forth  to  meet  it.  The  strange  waves,  which  had  suddenly 
drawn  them  together  a  few  minutes  before,  had  departed, 
and  for  almost  the  first  time  since  their  acquaintance,  the 
child  in  one  came  forth  to  play  with  the  child  in  the  other. 
Miriam  was. the  leader,  even  in  this,  and  she  made  so  many 
droll  comments,  quoted  or  improvised  so  many  clever  bits 
of  semi-nonsensical  verse,  and  so  neatly  caught  and  tossed 
back  to  him  his  own  pleasantries,  that  Phil  was  completely 
captivated. 

At  last  he  stopped,  doffed  his  hat,  and  bowing  low,  said 
to-  her ;  "  Wonderful  woman,  permit  me  to  do  homage.  In 
my  folly,  I  had  put  a  limit  upon  your  endless  and  bewilder- 
ing variety;  but  now  that  you  evince  a  genuine  wit  and 
humor,  the  last  graces  of  the  complete  woman,  I  withdraw 
all  modifications  and  hail  you  as  the  unanswerable  argument 

213 


2i4        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

in  favor  of  any  demands  which  the  newest  woman  of  them 
all  may  make." 

There  was  much  sincerity  beneath  his  lightness,  and 
Miriam  drew  a  quick,  sharp  breath  of  joy.  "  I  shall  never 
again  insist  upon  your  thinking,"  she  rejoined.  "  From 
now  on  rest  upon  your  feelings  in  comfort,  and  let  primal 
causes  take  care  of  themselves." 

"  It  is  vulgarly  early,"  said  Phil,  after  he  had  bowed  his 
abject  thanks,  and  they  had  resumed  their  walk.  "  Let  us 
go  and  see  what  Madame  has  to  eat  to-night.  It  is  now 
three  weeks  since  she  was  the  agent  you  made  use  of  to 
save  me  from  starvation,  and  it  is  well  that  we  look  upon 
it  as  an  anniversary  and  celebrate  accordingly." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  responded  Miriam,  and  as  they 
started  on,  their  hands  met,  and  for  an  instant  clasped  each 
other. 

They  had  not  been  to  the  quaint  little  restaurant  since  the 
night  of  their  meeting ;  but  Madame  recognized  them  as  soon 
as  they  entered,  and  bustled  up  to  welcome.  The  girl,  who 
had  been  entertaining  four  men  on  the  night  of  their  former 
visit,  was  at  her  old  place ;  but  this  time  she  was  furnishing 
amusement  for  five  men,  and  none  of  them  had  been  in 
the  group  on  the  previous  occasion.  She  had  a  merry,  mis- 
chievous expression,  and  when  she  laughed,  all  the  men 
joined  her  with  unfeigned  delight. 

"  I  wish  I  knew  that  girl,"  said  Miriam,  after  they  had 
been  seated  in  their  former  alcove,  and  Madame  had  re- 
ceived their  choice  of  wine  with  approval,  and  had  left 
them  to  themselves. 

It  was  a  pleasanter  supper  than  the  preceding  one  had 
been,  even  though  Phil's  appetite  was  more  counsellor  than 
master;  and  their  conversation  was  light  and  playful.  Phil 


EXIT   THE   GIRL  215 

was  wearing  a  Tuxedo,  and  Madame  insisted  that  he  step 
back  to  the  kitchen  to  let  Enrico  view  him  in  his  natural 
and  consistent  grandeur. 

When  they  returned  to  the  street  and  started  toward  the 
music  hall,  they  walked  silently;  but  very  close  together. 
She  did  not  take  his  arm;  but  when  it  rubbed  against  her 
shoulder  they  did  not  draw  apart,  and  it  was  in  the  nature 
of  a  caress. 

The  Irishman,  made  up  to  look  like  a  chimpanzee,  and 
the  tall  thin  man,  disguised  to  resemble  a  variety-stage  Ger- 
man, and  nothing  else  under  the  shining  sun,  were  attempt- 
ing to  keep  the  audience  from  more  profitable  meditation, 
when  they  entered  the  Elite. 

Chesty's  trained  eye  detected  them  upon  the  instant,  and 
with  the  chastened  abnegation  of  a  modest  hunter  attempt- 
ing to  conceal  his  pride  while  exhibiting  a  treasured  trophy, 
he  conducted  them  to  their  former  place  in  the  box. 

"  You  may  bring  us  a  pint,  and  a  couple  of  the  best 
Havana  panetellas  this  opera  house  serves,  Chesty,"  said 
Phil  after  they  were  settled,  "  just  as  a  slight  reward  for 
being  vigilant.  After  La  Belle  Fatima  has  finished  her  con- 
tribution to  art,  invite  her  here,  and  we  shall  try  to 
supply  you  with  more  adequate  exercise." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,  thank  you,"  replied  the  waiter,  taking 
a  mental  note  of  Phil's  raiment,  and  the  redeemed  diamond 
which  shone  upon  his  finger. 

"  How  old  are  those  men  ?  "  asked  Miriam  who  had  been 
examining  the  somber  comedians  intently. 

"  A  question  to  turn  the  Sphinx  green  with  envy ! " 
ejaculated  Phil.  "  Their  jokes  belong  to  the  early  Eocene; 
the  human  race  has  never  at  any  time  resembled  either  of 
these  peculiar  beings,  and  yet  the  real  men  may  be  any- 


216        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

where  from  nineteen  to  ninety.  They  have  the  peculiar 
faculty  of  unlimited  multiplication,  and  are  doubtless  doing 
this  same  thing  on  several  thousand  other  stages  at  this 
same  minute.  We  might  invite  them  over  for  a  friendly 
bottle  as  soon  as  they  finish.  I  apprehend  that  their  life 
is  rather  in  the  raw;  and  they  will  doubtless  be  glad  to 
recount  their  —  ah  —  romantic  histories  for  your  edifica- 
tion." 

"  Why  did  you  not  say,  love  affairs  ?  "  asked  Miriam. 

"I  haven't  an  idea  in  the  world,"  replied  Phil;  "but 
some  way,  it  seemed  for  the  moment  a  little  caddish  to  take 
a  fling  at  what  may  have  been  a  soul  tragedy.  One  never 
knows  what  the  grease  paint  hides,  and  a  mon  's  a  mon  for 
a'  thot." 

"  I  think  that  your  heart  is  never  that  of  a  cad,  Lenord," 
said  Miriam  softly ;  "  but  occasionally  your  manners  are 
a  trifle  caddish.  Affectation  is  always  unreasonable,  but 
especially  so  when  the  affected  attitude  is  altogether  un- 
desirable." 

Phil  ignored  the  reproof  in  the  words;  and  yielding  to 
the  coaxing  lure  of  her  voice,  reached  out  his  hand  and 
covered  hers  as  it  lay  in  her  lap.  She  did  not  move,  or 
look  at  him ;  but  he  felt  her  tremble,  and  a  great  thrill  ran 
through  him.  After  a  moment,  he  withdrew  his  hand,  and 
they  sat  without  speaking  until  La  Belle  Fatima  appeared 
and  the  crowd  proceeded  to  voice  its  clamorous  welcome. 

She  was  perfectly  at  ease  and  exchanged  a  few  friendly 
pleasantries  before  she  began  to  sing.  Her  voice  was  under 
better  control  than  it  had  been  on  their  former  visit,  and 
several  of  the  notes  were  given  quite  correctly. 

"  She  has  been  studying,"  whispered  Miriam. 

"  If  their  appetites  for  this  one  song  remain  keen  a  few 


EXIT  THE   GIRL  217 

months  longer,  she  will  actually  learn  to  sing  it,"  agreed 
Phil. 

"  Why  do  you  never  enter  into  a  thing  with  heartiness?" 
asked  Miriam  impatiently. 

"  My  enthusiasms  have  been  so  blunted  that  I  am 
prompted  to  hurl  my  hat  in  the  air,  only  upon  rare  and 
radiant  occasions,"  answered  Phil  with  a  little  half-sigh. 
"  And,  anyway,  what  is  the  use  of  bellows  when  the  wind 
is  blowing  a  gale  ?  "  he  added,  waving  his  hand  toward  the 
audience. 

The  slight  motion  caught  the  attention  of  the  girl  upon 
the  stage,  and  from  that  on  she  glanced  in  their  direction 
frequently. 

"  Several  times  after  our  first  visit  here,  I  tried  to  see 
her  during  the  day,"  said  Miriam ;  "  but  she  flatly  refused. 
I  rather  like  her  independence." 

As  she  finished  the  last  chorus  for  the  last  time  the  girl 
with  the  golden  hair  blew  a  kiss  toward  the  box  in  which 
Phil  and  Miriam  were  sitting.  Miriam  merely  continued  to 
applaud ;  but  Phil  arose  and  blew  a  kiss  to  the  singer  as 
she  tripped  lightly  from  the  stage. 

As  he  started  to  seat  himself  again,  he  noticed  a  tall, 
stern  young  man  arise  in  the  center  of  the  hall,  and  come 
toward  him.  Straight  to  the  box  he  came,  entered  it,  and 
pulled  the  curtain  across  the  front.  For  a  moment  he 
stood  looking  down  upon  Phil  with  eyes  in  which  burned 
the  cold  flame  of  deliberate  hate.  Phil  returned  the  gaze 
with  questioning  hauteur. 

"  Are  you  the  music  teacher  who  taught  her  how  to 
sing?  "  asked  the  tall  young  man,  in  a  low  deep  voice  which 
did  not  tremble. 

"  No,  indeed,"  replied  Phil  in  a  composed,  and  slightly 


218        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

amused  voice ;  "  but  if  you  wish  my  opinion  upon  the  sub- 
ject, I  would  say  that  nature  rather  than  art  is  responsible 
for  her  technique." 

"  I  believe  you  're  lying,  and  if  I  find  you  are,  I  '11  kill 
you."  The  voice  of  the  stranger  was  as  calm  as  Phil's. 
His  broad  shoulders  stooped  a  trifle  from  hard  work,  his 
powerful  hands  hung  loosely  at  his  sides,  but  the  fingers 
opened  and  shut  unconsciously. 

"  Very  kind  of  you,  I  'm  sure,"  replied  Phil  in  his  most 
irritating  tone.  "  I  was  not  aware  that  the  penalty  for 
lying  was  so  severe,  and  I  fear  if  it  is  universally  en- 
forced, the  next  census  will  be  a  bitter  disappointment." 

"  I  know  you  're  him  now.  You  got  the  same  purty 
way  o*  talkin'  they  said  he  had,  an'  the  same  soft,  sneakin' 
ways  —  and  the  same  black  heart ;  and  I  'm  goin'  to  git 
you." 

With  the  lithe  suddenness  of  a  panther,  he  leaped  toward 
Phil  with  both  hands  outstretched  to  seize  his  throat.  Phil 
was  trained:  with  an  equally  rapid  movement,  he  shot  his 
right  hand  across  his  body,  grasped  the  stranger's  right 
wrist,  jerked  it  aside  and,  as  the  man  plunged  by  him, 
helped  by  his  own  momentum,  Phil  rose  to  his  feet  and 
stood  at  ease. 

His  adversary  did  not  lose  his  balance,  and  in  a  second 
had  turned  to  renew  his  attack ;  but  in  that  second,  Miriam 
had  arisen  and  placed  herself  between  them.  "  Are  you 
Jim  ?  "  she  asked. 

The  stranger  paused  in  surprised  defiance.  "  Yes,  I  'm 
Jim,"  he  answered. 

"  She  will  be  back  here  in  a  moment.  You  take  a  seat 
just  outside  the  curtain  and  listen  carefully  to  what  is  said. 
I  think  you  will  soon  see  that  this  is  not  the  singing  teacher, 


EXIT   THE   GIRL  219 

and  will  also  see  that  she  has  not  forgotten  you.     We  are 
her  friends,  and  yours." 

Miriam's  eyes  met  his  own  steadily,  and  her  tone  was 
one  to  inspire  confidence.  For  a  moment  the  young  man 
wavered,  and  then  he  said  a  little  sullenly,  "Well,  you  got 
the  bulge  on  me,  an'  I  '11  try  listenin'  a  while ;  but  I  won't 
stand  for  any  sort  o'  foolishness." 

He  had  scarcely  left  the  box  before  the  girl  with  the 
golden  hair  entered.  There  were  lines  of  weariness  in  her 
face ;  but  her  eyes  were  full  of  pleased  greeting.  "  Well, 
did  I  put  it  over  to-night  ?  "  she  asked  breezily. 

"  You  certainly  made  the  hit  of  your  life,  to-night,"  an- 
swered Phil.  "  I  have  heard  the  imported  song  birds  of 
Grand  Opera;  but  I  never  saw  a  singer  produce  a  more 
dramatic  effect  than  you  did  a  few  moments  ago." 

"  You  make  me  blush ;  I'm  sorry  I  took  off  the  paint ;  but 
I  never  can  tell  when  you  're  kidding,  so  I  'm  not  going  to 
expand  too  readily." 

"  You  really  did  sing  much  better  this  evening  than  three 
weeks  ago,"  said  Miriam  frankly.  "  Sit  down ;  I  want  to 
have  a  serious  talk  with  you." 

"  Not  too  serious,"  warned  the  girl.  "  I  belong  to  that 
part  of  the  poor  old  earth  which  has  to  borrow  its  mirth ; 
and  the  good  Lord  knows  that  I  have  troubles  enough  of  my 
own." 

"  Then  you  are  not  entirely  satisfied  with  even  the  very 
marked  success  you  have  made  with  this  song?"  asked 
Miriam. 

"  Oh,  it 's  a  dog's  life.  I  do  a  few  tricks  to  amuse  them 
and  they  toss  me  my  bit ;  but  as  soon  as  this  one  song  dies, 
I  '11  probably  die  with  it.  I  have  been  trying  to  learn  to 
read  a  new  song  ever  since  you  first  heard  me;  but  it 


220        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

sounds  like  the  wail  of  a  sick  cat,  and  I  'm  disgusted.  I 
can  act  all  right  if  I  get  the  chance ;  but  it  sometimes  costs 
a  lot  for  a  girl  to  get  a  chance  to  act.  I  don't  mean  money 
cost." 

"  I  know,"  said  Miriam ;  "  but  I  have  several  friends  in 
the  theatrical  business,  back  east,  and  if  you  still  think  that 
you  would  like  to  give  your  ambition  a  chance,  I  think  I 
can  help  you." 

"  I  wonder  if  any  of  us  ever  do  what  we  want  to  do?" 
asked  the  girl,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the  table.  "  Something 
pushes  us  off  the  raft  and  we  try  to  swim  to  the  nearest 
shore.  We  did  not  want  to  be  pushed  off  the  raft,  and 
the  chances  are  ten  to  one  that  we  do  not  wish  to  reach 
the  shore  toward  which  we  swim ;  but  what 's  the  use  ?  It 
takes  a  lot  of  practice  to  learn  to  enjoy  drowning." 

"  You  do  not  seem  to  take  as  cheerful  a  view  of  the 
future  as  you  did  three  weeks  ago,"  said  Phil. 

"  Well,  don't  send  any  flowers  yet,"  retorted  the  girl, 
tossing  her  head.  "  I  've  got  a  lot  of  dishes  on  my  menu 
beside  tender  recollections  and  briny  tears ;  but  I  'm  tired 
to-night.  I  'm  studying  a  lot  of  books  and  practising  vocal 
kicks  and  trying  to  gesture  without  looking  like  a  human 
flail ;  and  to  tell  you  the  simple  truth,  Uncle,  little  Myrtle's 
brain  had  lain  fallow  too  long  to  raise  a  bumper  crop  the 
first  season;  but  I  am  going  to  come  through  in  spite  of 
everything,  and  that 's  a  tip  on  the  one  best  bet." 

"  That  sounds  better,"  said  Phil,  who  had  not  forgotten 
the  tall,  stern  young  man  just  outside  the  curtain.  Phil 
was  not  averse  to  fighting;  it  seemed  a  peculiarly  fitting 
outlet  to  some  of  his  contrarieties.  He  did  not  like  to  rush 
madly  into  combat;  he  wanted  to  feel  himself  to  be  in  the 


221 

right,  and  then  coolly  make  stilted  speeches  while  exhibit- 
ing his  skill,  of  which  he  possessed  considerable. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  express  a  determination  to  con- 
tinue," said  Miriam,  also  speaking  for  Jim's  benefit.  "  I 
am  sure  that  you  will  succeed  on  the  stage,  and  I  feared 
you  might  become  discouraged  and  go  back  to  the  hum-drum 
life  on  the  farm." 

"  Hum-drum  life  on  the  farm,"  repeated  the  girl  in- 
dignantly. "  I  suppose  you  honestly  believe  that  an  un- 
natural life  like  this  is  really  better  than  a  life  in  the  open. 
Why,  I  used  to  see  the  sun  rise  every  morning  and  my 
own  soul  used  to  rise  with  it;  all  day  long  the  breezes 
brought  new  life  to  me  which  I  used  in  making  things  to 
eat  and  wear,  and  in  driving  dirt  away —  doing  something 
real  —  and  then,  when  the  twilight  came  to  all  the  world, 
it  also  came  to  me  and  rested  and  soothed  me.  But  what 
is  my  life  now?  There  is  no  sunrise  and  no  twilight 
and  no  life-bringing  breeze  in  the  part  of  this  hell-hole 
where  I  live.  Instead  of  the  song  of  birds,  and  the  whinny 
of  my  pony,  and  the  mellow  jingle  of  the  bells  as  the  cows 
come  out  of  the  woods,  I  hear  curses  and  brawls  and  the 
rotten  gossip  of  the  under  world." 

The  girl's  voice  was  still  low;  but  it  was  vibrant  with 
feeling.  She  had  the  gift  of  passion,  and  the  feelings 
which  discriminate  naturally,  without  asking  why.  After 
she  would  lose  a  little  more  of  self,  and  gain  a  little  more  of 
art,  she  would  find  a  royal  welcome  on  the  stage. 

"  And  what  am  I  trying  to  do?  "  she  continued.  "  I  am 
trying  to  learn  how  to  forget  to  feel ;  so  that  I  can  pretend, 
for  others,  the  emotions  which  used  to  be  all  my  own.  I 
went  out  to  see  the  animals  in  the  park  once,  just  once ;  all 


'222        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

about  their  cages  people  were  standing  and  waving  their 
hands  and  saying,  '  Boo '  and  '  Shoo/  and  enjoying  them- 
selves in  their  own  fool  way;  but  did  the  beasts  in  the 
cages  enjoy  it?  No,  they  never  looked  at  the  fool  people; 
they  kept  their  eyes  fixed  on  the  distance,  and  I  knew  what 
they  saw,  and  smelled,  and  felt,  and  I  was  sister  to  them 
all !  I  Ve  seen  an  eagle  swinging  away  up  in  the  blue  and 
looking  down  on  the  world  as  if  he  knew  that  he  was  the 
king  of  birds  and  the  symbol  of  this  very  country;  and 
I  've  stood  down  below  and  looked  up  at  him,  and  waved 
my  hand  to  him,  and  something  went  out  of  me  all  the 
way  up  to  him  like  a  telephone  wire,  and  he  sent  me  back 
a  message ;  and  I  went  on  with  my  work  while  a  new  song 
hummed  in  my  heart.  I  knew  what  he  felt,  and  I  felt  it, 
too.  He  was  master  of  his  own  body,  and  I  was  master  of 
mine,  and  we  both  flew  into  the  heavens  and  looked  down 
on  all  the  world.  And  then  I  saw  an  eagle  in  a  cage  out 
in  the  park,  sitting  all  humped  up  on  a  perch,  with  feathers 
sticking  to  the  bars  of  the  cage  where  he  had  tried  to  beat 
his  way  out,  and  filth  all  over  the  floor.  Mothers  called 
to  their  children,  and  said,  "  Oh,  come  and  see  the  eagle  " ; 
but  my  own  heart  sat  all  humped  up  in  my  breast  like  the 
poor  thing  in  the  cage,  and  he  looked  at  me;  and  I  swear 
I  think  he  knew  that  I  knew.  Oh,  it 's  hell !  " 

She  stopped  and  impulsively  drew  her  hand  across  her 
eyes,  but  there  were  no  tears  in  them.  The  noise  of  the 
hall  came  to  them  like  the  rolling  of  a  surf,  while  from 
the  stage  a  man  and  woman  were  trying  to  suggest  passion, 
so  that  the  circulation  of  the  audience  would  be  stimulated, 
and  they  would  buy  more  drink.  The  strained,  squeaky 
voices,  the  clinking  of  glasses,  the  shuffling  of  feet,  and  the 
ribald  comments  of  the  crowd,  all  seemed  to  come  from 


EXIT   THE    GIRL  223 

another  world  —  a  sodden  world,  an  ill-made  world,  an 
under  world,  indeed. 

"  Yes,"  said  Phil ;  "  but  you  chose  to  leave  your  former 
life,  you  know." 

"  In  the  same  way  that  the  eagle  chose  to  leave  his. 
What  did  I  know  of  life,  that  life  or  this?  I  was  caught 
with  a  bait;  and  neither  the  innocence  of  a  girl  nor  the 
innocence  of  an  eagle  can  tell  a  bait  from  honest  food. 
Why  I  've  done  more  thinking  since  I  came  to  this  city 
than  in  all  my  life  before;  or  in  all  the  life  I  would  have 
lived  if  I  had  stayed  back  there  in  the  hills  till  I  died  of 
old  age.  Do  you  know  what  they  tell  me  here  —  I  don't 
mean  the  girls  who  envy  me,  I  mean  the  kind  ones,  the 
ones  who  feel  sorry  for  me  and  friendly  toward  me,  and 
who  would  like  to  help  me?  They  tell  me  the  value  of 
my  eyes,  and  hair,  and  the  round  form  that  came  from  a 
life  outdoors  with  the  other  free  things ;  and  they  say  it  is 
only  a  question  of  time  anyhow,  and  I  might  as  well  cash 
in  before  I  lose  part  of  my  capital.  That  is  what  they  say. 
That  is  life;  and  we're  each  in  our  cages  now,  the  eagle 
and  me.  He  has  given  up  hope,  and  I  am  still  beating 
against  the  bars;  but  I  know  it's  a  cage  now,  and  sooner 
or  later  —  why,  sooner  or  later,  I  '11  cash  in." 

"  Do  you  think  you  could  really  have  been  content  with 
Jim?"  asked  Miriam. 

"  Course  I  'd  'a'  been  content.  I  knew  what  he  was ; 
but  I  had  a  lot  of  mischief  in  me;  I  was  just  like  a  pony 
Jim  gave  me  once.  The  pony  was  a  spoiled  thing,  and 
liked  to  have  a  fuss  made  over  him.  Sometimes  I  'd  call 
him  up  to  give  him  a  feed  o'  grain ;  and  if  he  was  down- 
right hungry  he  'd  come  a-lopin' ;  but  if  he  felt  fine  beyond 
common,  he'd  have  to  play  a  while  first.  He  pretended 


224        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

once  too  often;  he  ran  and  kicked,  and  fell  in  a  hole  and 
broke  his  leg  and  they  had  to  shoot  him.  I  never  in- 
tended to  run  away  from  Jim.  I  was  only  playin' ;  but  I 
did  n't  know  myself  as  well  as  I  knew  men  —  and  that 's 
all  there  was  of  it.  I  'm  not  going  to  howl,  and  I  am 
going  to  make  a  fight  for  it ;  but  sometimes  when  I  think  o' 
what 's  before  me  I  feel  like  just  lay  in'  down  an'  dyin'  in 
my  tracks." 

"  Don't  any  of  them,  back  there  —  Jim  or  your  relatives, 
or  anyone  —  know  where  you  are  ?  "  asked  Phil. 

"  I  've  seen  picture  post  cards  from  Europe  an'  Asia  and 
Africa,"  replied  the  girl  scornfully ;  "  but  I  've  never  seen 
any  from  hell.  There  's  some  places  folks  don't  want  to 
write  back  from.  Besides,  all  the  relatives  I  have  is  one 
uncle,  and  if  one  of  his  dogs  would  wag  his  tail  at  a 
stranger,  he  'd  drive  it  off  the  farm.  No,  when  I  dropped, 
I  cut  the  rope  and  hit  the  bottom,  and  there  's  no  way  back 
for  me." 

"  Do  you  suppose  Jim  would  forgive  you  ? "  asked 
Miriam. 

"  I  don't  know  who  you  are  or  what  you  are,"  replied 
the  girl  looking  searchingly  into  Miriam's  eyes ;  "  but  it 
is  n't  a  question  of  forgiveness.  Jim  would  n't  harm  me 
none  if  he  had  a  chance  to,  though  I  rather  think  he  'd 
handle  that  singin'  teacher  if  he  happened  to  meet  up  with 
him;  but  in  those  days  I  used  to  look  down  at  Jim  and 
tease  him,  and  he  liked  it.  Now,  he  'd  have  to  stoop  over 
and  lift  me  up ;  and  that  calls  out  all  the  heart  of  a  .woman ; 
but  it 's  not  the  way  with  men.  The  only  thing  they  really 
want,  is  something  no  one  else  could  win.  I  knew  'at  Jim 
was  worth  a  carload  o'  such  trash  as  that  singin'  teacher; 


EXIT   THE   GIRL  225 

but  Jim  was  backward  an'  did  n't  have  the  smooth  little 
ways." 

"  If  you  had  your  choice,"  asked  Phil,  who  had  begun 
to  wonder  if  the  tall  young  man  were  still  in  the  hall, 
"  which  would  you  rather  have,  a  big  success  on  the  stage, 
or  Jim?" 

"  I  'd  rather  have  Jim,"  cried  the  girl  impetuously. 

The  curtain  was  drawn  aside  and  the  stern  young  man 
entered.  A  queer  mingling  of  expressions  were  fighting 
for  mastery  in  a  face  which  was  not  usually  demonstrative ; 
but  one  of  these  expressions  was  joy,  and  another  was 
pride,  and  they  stood  out  from  the  rest  with  the  same  dis- 
tinction as  would  the  young  man  himself  in  a  crowd. 

"  Jim !  "  cried  the  girl,  and  buried  her  face  in  her  arms. 

He  crossed  awkwardly  to  her  and  put  a  big,  tender  hand 
on  her  shoulder.  "  Are  you  ready  to  come  back  with  me, 
Jennie  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  voice  which  trembled  a  little. 

"  Oh,  I  can't,  Jim,  I  can't,"  sobbed  the  girl. 

"  Were  you  married  to  him  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Then,  why  can't  you  ?  " 

He  was  perfectly  sincere.  In  his  simplicity,  he  thought 
there  must  still  be  another  reason  which  he  did  not  know. 

"  That 's  the  very  reason  I  can't  come ;  because  I  was  not 
married  to  him." 

"  Pshaw,  child,"  he  said,  with  a  deep,  tender,  com- 
forting laugh  which  showed  that  tears  of  sympathy  were 
flowing  into  his  throat  and  making  it  ache  with  tightness. 
"  Why,  I  don't  care  anything  about  that.  I  never  was  even 
jealous.  I  knew  exactly  how  it  was,  even  before  I  heard 
you  this  evenin'.  You  never  heard  of  me  abusin'  a  colt 


226        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

because  it  kicked  up  a  little  or  run  away,  did  ya?  If 
you  'd  been  already  married  to  me,  now,  and  had  kicked 
over  the  traces,  why,  that  would  'a'  been  a  different  thing ; 
and  you  'd  be  the  same  as  dead  to  me ;  but  if  I  was  to  leave 
you  now,  I  'd  feel  the  same  as  if  I  'd  left  a  little  lamb  to 
starve  to  death,  as  punishment  for  gettin'  caught  in  a  thorn 
bush.  Don't  be  foolish,  Jennie.  There  ain't  none  o'  that 
stoopin'  and  pickin'  up,  'at  you  was  talkin'  about  a  while 
ago.  There  has  n't  a  thing  changed  in  me,  and  I  love  you 
just  as  I  always  have/' 

"  I  'm  afraid  it  ain't  love,  Jim.  I  'm  afraid  it 's  just 
pity." 

He  stroked  her  hair  softly,  combing  bits  of  it  through 
his  fingers.  "  Pity  's  a  curious  thing,  then,"  he  murmured. 
"  Your  hair  sends  the  same  old  jumpin'  thrill  through  me 
it  always  sent.  No,  I  love  you,  and  I  want  you  to  go  back 
with  me  and  just  face  it  squarely,  and  it  won't  last  long. 
Back  in  the  hills  you  '11  soon  get  over  talkin'  so  much  about 
hell.  I  'm  not  squeamish ;  but  I  hate  to  hear  you  usin' 
those  sort  o'  words,  Jennie." 

The  girl  gave  a  long,  tremulous  sigh  and  leaned  her 
head  against  the  man's  hand.  "  And  you  really  think  it 
would  turn  out  all  right,  Jim  ?  " 

"  Well,  if  there 's  anything  I  can  do  to  show  you  I  mean 
it,  why  I  'm  ready  to  begin  this  minute.  If  you  'd  like  to 
have  me,  I  '11  go  out  there  to-night  and  bust  open  that 
damned  cage  they  got  the  eagle  in." 

"  Oh,  that  would  n't  do  any  good,  Jim,"  said  the  girl, 
reaching  up  and  taking  his  hand,  raising  her  head  a  little 
and  placing  her  cheek  against  his  wrist.  "  You  'd  probably 
get  into  trouble,  and  they  'd  fix  up  the  cage  and  put  a 
new  eagle  there  —  and  this  one  is  already  used  to  it.  This 


EXIT   THE   GIRL  227 

is  the  sad  part  of  it :  even  if  I  do  fly  back  to  the  hills,  why, 
they  '11  catch  another  girl  for  my  place." 

"  Well,  we  can't  fix  up  the  whole  world,  Jennie ;  but  we 
can  build  a  little  one  of  our  own,  and  you  're  going  to 
come." 

"If  you  want  me,  Jim,  I  have  n't  the  strength  to  say  no." 

"  Then  that 's  settled,"  said  Jim,  breathing  a  deep  breath 
of  satisfaction.  "  I  'm  mightily  obliged  to  you  folks,"  he 
said,  looking  at  Miriam,  and  then  turning  to  Phil,  contin- 
ued :  "  and  I  'm  sorry  I  jumped  you  the  way  I  did." 

"  Oh,  that 's  all  right,"  said  Phil,  springing  to  his  feet  and 
holding  out  a  hand  which  met  Jim's  in  a  hearty  grip.  "  I 
like  that  sort  of  thing,  you  know;  and  I  want  to  congrat- 
ulate you  from  my  heart.  You  are  a  real  man,  and  you  've 
won  a  girl  whose  heart 's  as  pure  gold  as  her  hair." 

"  I  think  so  myself,"  said  Jim,  becoming  self-conscious 
for  the  first  time,  and  consequently  a  little  sheepish. 

"  And  I  wish  you  both  every  joy  in  the  world,"  said  Mir- 
iam, kissing  the  girl's  full,  white  forehead.  "  Don't  be  too 
humble,  Jennie,"  she  whispered.  "  Men  love  smiles  and 
playfulness  better  than  tears  and  repentance." 

"  We  won't  have  time  to  select  a  present,  but  I  want  you 
to  take  this  and  buy  something  you  want,"  said  Phil,  empty- 
ing his  pockets. 

Jim  refused  at  first,  but  was  finally  made  to  see  that  this 
was  perfectly  proper. 

"  I  suppose  you  two  are  married,"  he  said  in  parting, 
"  and  I  hope  it  ain't  taking  any  liberty  to  wish  that  you  '11 
always  be  as  happy  as  we  intend  to  be." 

Then  Jim  and  Jenny  went  along  the  little  alley  back  of 
the  boxes  and  out  into  a  beautiful  new  world  of  their  own. 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-ONE 

THE   ENCHANTRESS 

FOR  some  time  the  two  left  in  the  box  sat  without  speaking 
or  looking  at  each  other.  It  seemed  as  though  something 
cherished  and  familiar  had  been  taken  out  of  their  own 
lives,  and  they  were  trying  to  adjust  themselves  to  a  new 
order. 

"  Chesty  will  never  forgive  us,"  said  Phil  at  last  in  his 
most  artificial  tone,  the  more  certainly  to  hide  the  depths 
to  which  he  had  been  stirred ;  "  but  I  think,  I  really  think, 
that  you  have  at  least  seen  life  in  the  raw." 

"  And  it  was  just  as  I  thought  it  would  be,"  responded 
Miriam,  her  eyes  bright  with  sincere  enthusiasm.  "  I  knew 
that  somewhere  in  the  world,  instinct  was  still  forcing  hu- 
man beings  to  do  the  right  thing,  even  when  it  was  neces- 
sary to  trample  down  conventionality  in  the  doing." 

"  But  don't  you  see,  dreamer  of  dreams,  that  the  very 
fact,  that  you  have  had  to  search,  and  almost  in  vain,  for  the 
exception,  has  itself  proved  that  conventionality  is  the  only 
safe  rule." 

"  I  do  not,  and  never  did,  object  to  conventionality  as  a 
garment.  We  have  grown  so  accustomed  to  garments  that 
it  would  shock  us  terribly  to  go  without  them.  What  I  in- 
sist upon  is,  that  the  body  beneath  the  garment  be  kept 
clean  and  healthy.  To  cover  a  well  body  does  little  harm ; 
but  to  shut  the  air  from  a  running  sore  is  likely  to  poison 

228 


THE    ENCHANTRESS  229 

the  entire  blood ;  and  some  of  our  conventions  cover  the  run- 
ning sores  of  Society." 

"Do  you  belong  to  any  kind  of  a  movement?"  asked 
Phil  petulantly. 

"  Not  any  organized  movement." 

"  Then  for  heaven's  sake,  relax.  I  seem  perfectly  able 
to  live  in  this  world,  botched  up  though  it  is,  in  very  fair 
comfort;  but  every  time  I  settle  back  to  take  a  grateful 
breath,  somebody  drags  in  a  lot  of  unpleasant  theories  and 
dumps  them  on  my  lap,  until  I  feel  like  a  foundling  asylum 
for  all  the  waifs  of  the  world." 

"  Were  you  living  in  very  fair  comfort,  when  I  first  met 
you?" 

"  That  is  part  of  the  regular  ceremony :  I  am  forever  be- 
ing dragged  by  the  ears  to  a  confessional  and  made  to  ex- 
amine my  heart  faithfully  to  see  if  there  is  not  some  real 
reason  why  I  should  not  be  happy,  when  I  really  am  happy 
and  ready  to  enjoy  myself.  I  am  now  going  to  touch  this 
button  and  let  Chesty  touch  that  portion  of  your  wealth 
which  is  now  in  my  keeping." 

"  You  understand,  of  course,  that  what  you  gave  to  Jen- 
nie, comes  under  the  head  of  legitimate  expenses  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Phil  emphatically,  "  that  was  my  gift,  and 
I  intend  to  enjoy  the  memory  of  it." 

"  I  insist,"  said  Miriam,  with  a  slight  return  to  their 
earlier  relation. 

"  When  you  get  quite  through  insisting,  kindly  let  me 
know,"  rejoined  Phil,  with  his  head  thrown  back.  "  I  do 
not  intend  to  resume  the  humped-up  attitude  of  that  eagle 
at  the  park,  and  you  may  as  well  understand  it,  at  once." 

Miriam  did  not  reply.  Instead,  she  engaged  in  thorough 
analysis.  What  had  caused  this  new  independence  in  the 


23o        THE   KNIGHT- ERRANT 

man  of  first  importance  to  her?  Was  he  tiring  of  her,  or 
was  he  beginning  to  love  her?  She  well  knew  that  either 
of  these  feelings,  widely  opposed  though  they  were,  was 
ample  cause  for  a  new  spirit  of  independence  and  assurance. 
She  quickly  reviewed  his  looks  and  actions  during  the  early 
part  of  the  evening,  and  decided  that  it  was  love;  and  the 
decision  gave  her  face  added  color  and  beauty. 

In  the  meantime,  Chesty  had  arrived,  had  been  dispatched 
for  a  quart  of  wine  and  three  glasses,  and  had  returned  to 
find  his  peculiar  customers  still  sitting  in  composed  silence. 
As  they  appeared  to  be  free  from  either  ill  humor  or  em- 
barrassment, Chesty  decided  that  they  were  married  to  each 
other,  and  they  straightway  fell  considerably  in  his  estima- 
tion. Chesty  had  a  whole-souled  admiration  for  what  he 
called  a  true  sport. 

"  Chesty,"  said  Phil  solemnly,  "  I  have  some  bad  news 
for  you ;  La  Belle  Fatima  will  sing  here  no  longer.  She  is 
a  daughter  of  one  of  the  uncrowned  kings  of  America,  and 
has  left  here  to  enter  into  her  reward.  What  is  an  ill 
wind  to  this  institution,  is  a  good  wind  to  her;  so  for  the 
nonce,  I  bid  you  lay  aside  your  commercial  spirit,  and  drink 
to  her  happiness." 

"  Do  you  mean  she  's  quit  ?  "  asked  Chesty,  aghast. 

"  It  is  even  so,"  replied  Phil  with  intense  sadness. 

"  I  always  said  she  was  one  of  'em,"  said  Chesty,  wag- 
ging his  head.  "  Why,  I  Ve  seen  her  turn  down  a  wine 
agent,  just  'cause  he  tried  to  kiss  her.  Well,  this  is  a 
knock-out ! " 

After  drinking  the  wine,  Phil  and  Miriam  left  the  place 
slowly.  Each  was  busy  with  his  own  thoughts,  and  both 
felt  the  new  something  which  had  come  between  them; 


THE    ENCHANTRESS  231 

but  whether  or  not  it  drew  them  together  or  repelled  them, 
neither  could  be  quite  sure,  and  so  they  walked  silently  and 
a  little  diffidently. 

They  secured  a  cab  and  drove  to  the  house  on  Pacific 
Avenue.  Phil  helped  Miriam  to  alight,  went  up  the  steps 
with  her,  and  unlocked  the  door.  "  It  has  been  an  unusual 
evening,"  he  said  with  a  voice  not  quite  under  control. 
"  Good  night." 

"  It  has  been  so  wonderful  an  evening  that  I  should  like 
to  talk  it  over,"  responded  Miriam,  in  a  perfectly  steady 
voice.  "  Won't  you  come  in  a  while  ?  " 

"  Shall  I  dismiss  the  cab  ?  "  asked  Phil. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered. 

The  house  stood  some  distance  back  from  the  street,  and 
Phil  walked  very  slowly  down  to  the  cab.  The  blood  was 
pounding  through  his  veins,  but  his  head  was  unusually 
clear.  He  did  not  attempt  to  deceive  himself;  on  the  con- 
trary, he  examined  himself  thoroughly,  looked  into  his  past, 
considered  his  present,  and  attempted  to  call  up  all  the  po- 
tential modifications  this  night  might  have  upon  his  future 
—  and  then  he  dismissed  the  cab,  the  driver  of  which  pock- 
eted the  fee  and  tip  with  a  congratulatory  wink. 

Phil  returned  to  the  house  more  rapidly  and  this  time 
he  attempted  to  shut  out  all  speculation.  He  was  not  sure 
that  the  woman  waiting  for  him  was  in  any  way  different 
from  the  one  to  whom  he  had  become  accustomed  during 
the  last  three  weeks.  She  was  complex,  intellectual,  deep; 
and  in  all  probability,  she  only  wished  to  tear  his  own  emo- 
tions to  pieces  in  order  to  see  of  what  they  were  composed, 
and  did  not  intend  to  risk  anything  of  her  own  in  the  proc- 
ess. He  was  not  entirely  sure  as  to  his  own  wishes  regard- 


232        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

ing  the  outcome;  but  he  was  fully  conscious  of  an  eager- 
ness to  meet  the  woman  who  was  still  his  employer,  and  he 
had  never  felt  this  eagerness  prior  to  this  evening. 

When  he  reached  the  door,  he  found  that  she  had  already 
entered  the  house  and  he  also  entered  and  hung  his  coat 
upon  the  rack  in  the  hall.  She  was  seated  before  the  fire, 
and  did  not  move  when  he  came  and  stood  beside  her. 
For  one  brief  instant  he  was  upon  the  point  of  seizing  her 
in  his  arms;  not  clasping  her,  but  seizing  her  roughly, 
throwing  aside  the  forms  of  the  ages,  and  regarding  her 
daintiness  no  more  than  primitive  man  regarded  the  whims 
of  the  female  he  captured  from  ambush,  and  whose  heart 
he  won  by  the  right  of  might. 

Had  she  held  out  a  hand  in  warning,  or  had  she  held  out 
a  hand  in  invitation,  he  would  have  thrown  off  all  restraint, 
but  as  she  continued  to  sit  gazing  into  the  fire,  he  became 
convinced  that  curiosity,  not  love,  was  her  motive,  and  the 
fear  of  being  ridiculous  caused  him  to  seat  himself  without 
speaking,  upon  a  low,  broad  divan  in  the  corner  of  the 
room. 

"  When  you  shook  hands  with  Jim,  to-night,  you  lived 
up  to  yourself;  but  at  first  I  thought  you  were  going  to  spoil 
everything,"  said  Miriam  without  turning  her  head. 

"  Really  you  amuse  me  at  times,"  replied  Phil  coolly. 
"  You  have  rather  an  extraordinary  mind,  for  a  woman ; 
but  I  am  not  entirely  convinced  that  you  are  infallible.  I 
had  no  other  intention  except  to  bring  them  together,  and 
make  him  value  her  as  much  as  possible.  I  do  not  float 
amidst  clouds  of  basic  principles  and  primal  causes;  but  I 
have  had  quite  an  extended  acquaintance  with  human  be- 
ings." 

"  If  your  diplomacy  was  diplomacy,  it  was  certainly  sue- 


THE    ENCHANTRESS  233 

cessful.  I  wish  I  could  follow  up  their  lives  and  see  how 
they  turn  out." 

"  It  is  really  a  shame  that  you  cannot  have  access  to  the 
books  of  the  Recording  Angel.  Nothing  short  of  this  will 
ever  soothe  your  yearning  to  share  the  emotions  of  others. 
You  are  the  one  exception,  the  rest  of  the  men  and  women 
are  only  actors,  as  William  said ;  but  you  are  audience, 
critic,  and  censor.  Does  your  brain  never  get  fagged  ?  " 

Instead  of  being  irritated,  she  found  a  strange  pleasure 
in  being  taunted  by  him.  "  Yes,"  she  replied  simply,  "  my 
brain  often  gets  fagged,  and  my  heart,  and  my  entire  body. 
I  have  in  me  a  capacity  for  love  and  service,  and  great, 
deep  living ;  but  there  is  no  fate  more  wearing  than  to  know 
that  one  has  power,  and  yet  to  be  forced  to  wait  in  patience 
for  an  opportunity  which  may  never  come." 

"  That  is  tough,"  admitted  Phil  with  real  sympathy.  "  I 
have  had  to  eat  the  other  side  of  the  rind.  I  was  thrown 
into  a  sea  of  opportunity,  but  had  not  the  power  to  swim." 

"  It  is  only  a  phase  of  the  old,  old  satire  of  life,"  said 
Miriam  with  a  bitter  laugh.  "  We  are  but  the  halves  of  a 
glorious  super-man ;  and  yet,  divided,  we  are  useless  to  our- 
selves and  to  the  race." 

"  Rather  a  sad  state  of  affairs,  it  must  be  confessed ;  but 
I  do  not  see  how  we  can  remedy  the  mistakes  of  Provi- 
dence." 

"  Providence,"  repeated  Miriam,  scornfully,  and  then  ris- 
ing and  facing  him  with  brilliant  eyes,  she  continued :  "  If 
I  were  a  man  and  you  were  a  woman,  I  would  know  how 
to  solve  the  problem  which  Fate  has  set  before  us." 

"  So  you  also  are  one  of  those  if-I-were-a-man  women, 
are  you  ? "  asked  Phil,  smiling  easily  up  at  her  from  the 
divan. 


234        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  No,  I  am  not.  I  am  all  woman.  I  do  not  wish  to  be 
a  man ;  but  man  is  woman's  greatest  opportunity,  and  I  do 
want  opportunity." 

"  Then  ambition  and  not  love  would  prompt  your  selec- 
tion of  a  mate  ?  " 

"  A  woman's  ambition  is  like  the  silk  and  cords  of  a 
balloon,  but  her  love  is  the  gas  which  inflates  and  lifts  it." 

"And  man?"  asked  Phil. 

"  Man,"  said  Miriam,  her  brows  drawn  together  to  force 
the  simile,  "  man  is  the  air  in  which  she  floats." 

"  And  some  of  us  are  surprised  at  the  increase  in  di- 
vorce," said  Phil  with  the  intended  irrelevancy  which  is  not 
intended  to  turn  away  wrath. 

She  came  to  the  divan  and  sat  beside  him ;  he  drew  to  the 
wall  but  did  not  sit  up.  "  Would  you  marry  me  ?  "  she 
asked. 

A  spontaneous,  boyish  smile  came  to  his  face.  "  Hon- 
estly, you  know,  I  hate  to  say  it,"  he  apologized ;  "  but 
really,  this  is  so  sudden." 

"  Not  so  very  sudden :  you  have  had  a  chance  to  know 
me  better  than  you  ever  knew  any  woman  before;  you 
started  in,  prejudiced  against  me ;  you  have  discussed  most 
of  the  complexities  of  life  with  me  —  you  know  me,  and 
since  early  this  evening  you  have  felt  me,  as  I  have  felt  you. 
You  are  merely  pretending  this  lightness.  I  have  asked 
you  a  question,  would  you  marry  me  ?  " 

"  A  purely  academic  question,  I  presume,"  answered  Phil, 
still  affecting  amusement,  but  aware  that  a  desire  for  her 
was  stirring  within  him.  "  Well,  I  shall  reply  in  spirit :  I 
have  never  met  any  other  woman  whom  I  admire  as  much 
as  I  do  you,  with  one  possible  exception ;  but  rny  feeling 


THE    ENCHANTRESS  235 

for  this  one  other  woman  made  me  long  to  marry  her,  while 
I  am  not  sure  that  I  should  wish  to  marry  you." 

"  Would  you  marry  me  if  it  were  not  for  this  other 
woman  ?  " 

"  Marriage  is  a  deuced  serious  business,  Valerie,"  said 
Phil,  sitting  up  and  speaking  in  earnest.  "  If  I  were  to 
marry  you  I  should  want  to  know  something  of  your  past, 
something  of  your  family,  something  of  my  own  future, 
and  a  lot  of  other  things,  which  I  am  sure  are  quite  incom- 
patible with  your  idea  of  the  marriage  instinct." 

"  I  am  wealthy  in  my  own  right  and  shall  be  quite  wealthy 
through  inheritance ;  there  is  not  a  stain  on  my  past ;  I  am 
willing  to  be  examined  by  any  physician  you  wish ;  and  I 
can  give  you  a  future  such  as  you  never  dreamed  of".  You 
are  not  a  weakling;  I  have  studied  you;  you  are  merely  a 
mass  of  raw  steel  and  I  can  shape  and  temper  you.  I  can 
give  you  a  career  which  will  call  out  your  very  best  and  ap- 
peal to  you  with  all  the  zest  of  a  game ;  and  it  will  be  you 
who  will  act,  your  very  self ;  while  I  —  I  shall  be  to  you 
what  all  women,  but  no  one  woman,  has  been  before.  I 
shall  be  playful  and  tender  and  passionate  to  match  what- 
ever mood  you  feel;  and  you  will  never  have  to  pretend 
with  me,  for  you  know  that  I  am  strong  enough  for  any 
truth,  and  that  nothing  but  the  truth  will  ever  satisfy  me. 
I  shall  ask  for  nothing  which  I  cannot  win,  and  all  the 
women  in  the  world  could  not  make  me  jealous.  Will  you 
marry  me  ?  " 

"  No,  I  do  not  wish  to  marry  you,"  answered  Phil. 

"Why  not?" 

"  There  is  no  reason  for  what  is  passively  negative ;  cold 
is  merely  the  absence  of  heat.  I  do  not  love  you." 


236        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  You  were  not  cold  toward  me  early  this  evening." 

"  Neither  did  I  love  you." 

"  Would  you  marry  me  if  you  loved  me?" 

"  I  suppose  I  would  if  I  could,"  answered  Phil.  He  did 
not  feel  at  ease,  and  yet  he  was  surprised  to  see  how  natural 
the  unusual  situation  was  beginning  to  appear. 

Miriam  sat  leaning  forward,  elbow  on  knee,  and  chin  in 
hand.  Phil  sat  beside  her  and  they  remained  without  speak- 
ing for  several  minutes.  The  incidents  of  the  evening  fur- 
nished the  basis  of  their  thoughts. 

"I  would  rather  be  Jennie,  going  back  to  face  the  gossip 
of  a  country  neighborhood,  than  to  continue  as  I  am,"  said 
Miriam. 

"  Well,  I  don't  want  to  be  Jim." 

"  It  was  not  necessary  to  say  that." 

"  I  did  not  mean  it  that  way,  Valerie ;  you  know  I  did 
not,"  said  Phil,  impulsively  taking  her  hand.  "  I  only 
meant  that,  badly  as  I  've  been  foozled  so  far,  I  would  not 
trade  my  personality  for  that  of  any  other  living  man's.  I 
have  grown  used  to  myself,  and  find  I  can  stand  it." 

"you  can  stand  it,  Lenord;  but  you  cannot  understand  it. 
There  is  great  power  in  your  nature,  if  you  would  only 
learn  to  use  it."  Suddenly  she  turned  and  threw  an  arm 
about  his  neck.  "  If  you  are  afraid  to  marry  me,  will  you 
live  with  me  for  a  month  without  marriage?  If  you  can 
leave  me  then  I  shall  not  want  you  to  stay.  I  do  not  want 
your  name;  I  want  your  love.  If  I  cannot  win  that  in  a 
month,  I  am  not  your  mate,  and  shall  not  want  to  hold  you. 
There  is  no  risk  for  you  in  this :  a  man  has  no  trouble  in 
living  up  to  the  moral  code  which  men  have  made  for  man." 

He  felt  the  fire  of  her,  now :  against  his  will  his  blood 
streamed  up  to  meet  hers  and  he  pressed  his  cheek  against 


THE    ENCHANTRESS  237 

her  hair ;  but  he  did  not  answer.  He  was  fully  aware  of  her 
beauty  and  her  accomplishments ;  but  back  of  it  all  was  the 
high  valuation  which  he  had  unconsciously  put  upon  him- 
self, and  which  he  had  not  lost  even  in  the  days  of  his  fast- 
ing. But  the  voices  of  his  body  were  clamoring,  and  the 
fragrance  of  her  hair  was  the  coaxing  narcotic  of  a  drug. 
He  knew  that  he  could  not  long  resist  her,  even  if  the  de- 
sire to  resist  her  still  remained. 

"  Is  it  that  other  woman,  who  is  between  us  ?  "  she  de- 
manded, looking  into  his  eyes. 

The  spell  was  broken :  "  that  other  woman  "  was  Edith ; 
and  she  suddenly  seemed  to  enter  the  room  and  stand  be- 
fore him.  Quietly  she  stood,  but  she  did  not  look  at  him ; 
she  looked  at  the  woman  beside  him,  the  woman  whose  arm 
was  still  about  his  neck.  He  also  turned  and  looked  at  her, 
and  as  he  looked,  he  saw  her  as  Edith  would  have  seen  her. 
He  did  not  reason,  he  did  not  judge,  he  did  not  question; 
he  merely  felt  toward  her  as  Edith  would  have  felt,  and  in 
that  instant  the  sensuous  charm  of  the  Oriental  colors  in 
the  room,  the  subtile  stimulation  of  the  rosy  lights,  and  the 
voluptuous  pleading  of  Miriam's  warm  body  as  it  rested 
against  his,  were  all  blown  away  as  the  wind  dissipates  a 
fog,  and  he  became  as  he  had  been  on  that  day  long,  long 
ago  when  he  had  picked  up  Edith's  glove  as  they  had  sat 
upon  the  hill  overlooking  the  Sound,  and  had  started 
forth  upon  the  quest  which  had  led  him  so  many  winding 
turns. 

Miriam's  eyes  were  fastened  upon  his,  and  as  she  saw  the 
flame  of  passion  die  away  to  give  place  to  the  coolness  of 
frank  pity,  a  fury  seized  her  and  she  pushed  him  from  her 
and  sprang  to  her  feet.  "  Ohh,  Ohhh  !  "  she  cried  in  hoarse 
gutturals.  "  To  think  that  I  have  been  refused !  I  had 


238        THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

not  thought  there  was  a  man  in  all  the  world  who  could  re- 
fuse me  on  the  terms  I  offered  you." 

"  I  still  doubt  if  any  man  could  long  refuse  you,"  re- 
plied Phil  gently.  "  It  was  the  terms  I  refused,  rather 
than  you.  It  is  not  like  a  woman  to  offer  such  a  bargain; 
and  be  he  good  or  bad,  weak  or  strong,  a  man  likes  to  win 
the  love  he  wears,  even  though  he  wears  it  for  a  day 
only.  If  you  want  a  man  to  love  you,  don't  fill  him  with 
thoughts." 

"  I  see  what  you  mean,"  she  replied,  turning  from 
him  and  pacing  the  small  room  like  a  caged  tiger.  "  Man 
has  never  been  forced  to  climb  up  from  his  original  brute 
level.  A  union  is  never  more  than  a  union  of  the  flesh,  to 
him.  Man  is  still  but  a  brute,  and  yet  he  has  been  so  spoiled 
by  the  ages  of  woman's  slavery,  that  even  his  passions  have 
lost  their  natural  accuracy.  At  a  word,  a  thought,  or  a  fleet- 
ing doubt,  they  fade  away  and  he  becomes  cold  and  cau- 
tious. It  is  well  for  the  race  that  its  future  lies  with 
woman ;  and,"  she  continued  with  rising  voice,  "  it  does  lie 
with  woman.  We  cannot  forgive  man  his  weakness,  his 
sin,  and  his  sloth ;  but  we  are  strong  enough  to  accept  these 
also  as  part  of  our  burden,  in  order  that  the  race  may  ad- 
vance to  the  high  destiny  which  awaits  it." 

She  was  no  longer  speaking  to  Phil  alone ;  she  was 
standing  in  the  center  of  the  room,  drawn  to  her  full 
height,  head  thrown  back  with  pride,  and  with  her  wonder- 
ful, dark  eyes  uplifted  as  though  to  a  distant  mountain ;  she 
was  speaking,  with  the  fervor  and  faith  of  a  prophetess,  to 
all  the  men  and  women  of  the  world. 

"  Man's  very  selfishness  will  yet  be  his  own  undoing," 
she  continued.  "  Every  law,  every  religion,  every  moral 
precept  he  invents,  are  merely  for  the  purpose  of  making 


THE    ENCHANTRESS  239 

his  own  life  easy  through  special  privileges,  until  by  now 
he  is  so  propped  and  braced  that  he  does  not  have  to  use 
his  own  strength.  But  woman  has  been  forced  to  discipline 
her  nature,  she  has  been  forced  to  climb  the  barriers 
which  man  has  raised  against  her,  until,  through  the  en- 
forced exercise  of  her  own  faculties,  she  has  become  strong. 
The  woman  of  to-day  is  not  as  the  woman  of  yesterday,  for 
she  has  dared  to  probe  the  shallow  depths  of  man's  preten- 
sions. The  children  of  the  future  will  belong  to  the  mothers 
of  the  future.  What  are  a  father's  rights  in  a  child ;  what 
pain  did  he  have  to  suffer  that  he  presumes  to  dictate  ?  No, 
the  mother  of  the  future  will  not  go  into  the  valley  of  death 
to  give  life  to  a  child,  shield  it  through  its  infancy,  and  then 
turn  it  adrift  in  the  wild  jungle  which  men  have  made  of 
the  world.  Maternity  will  not  always  stop  fearfully  at  the 
threshold  of  the  home;  the  future  mothers  of  the  race  will 
protect  the  race  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave,  and  the  stand- 
ard of  morality  will  be  adjusted  to  real  men  and  women, 
not  hypocritical  men  and  women  adjusted  to  an  impossible 
standard  of  morality." 

"  As  the  only  representative  of  the  sex  present,"  said  Phil, 
after  Miriam  had  paused,  and  seated  herself  once  more  in 
front  of  the  fire,  "  I  feel  called  upon  to  say  that  I  think 
there  is  much  truth  in  what  you  say ;  but  the  future  to  which 
you  refer,  is  a  distant  future,  not  your  future  or  mine,  and  I 
do  not  feel  called  upon  to  adjust  myself  to  it,  any  more 
than  do  millions  of  women  who  are  of  the  type  which  I  re- 
spect most  and  care  for  most." 

"  You  have  spoken  from  the  very  spirit  which  I  con- 
demn. All  the  future  of  the  race  must  be  indebted  to  me, 
to  me  personally;  even  as  I  am  indebted  to  all  the  past. 
We  cannot  live  unto  ourselves,  and  those  who  attempt  it 


24o        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

are  of  the  dying,  not  the  living.  It  is  from  living  unto  him- 
self that  man  has  lost  his  grasp  of  opportunity." 

Phil  was  uncomfortable :  he  wanted  to  leave,  yet  scarcely 
knew  how;  he  wanted  to  reply,  but  every  remark  sounded 
so  trite  in  his  own  mind,  that  he  dared  not  voice  it.  Never 
was  man  less  enthusiastic  about  the  new  woman,  than  was 
Phil  at  this  moment.  Finally,  he  rose  to  his  feet,  and 
said  sincerely :  "  I  am  honestly,  mighty  sorry  for  what  has 
happened  this  evening;  but  I  am  sure  that  after  you  have 
had  time  to  think  it  over,  you  will  rejoice  that  it  has  turned 
out  as  it  has.  Theories  are  all  right,  but  they  do  not  work 
out  in  practice,  and  you  — " 

Miriam's  smile  stopped  him.  It  was  a  scornful  smile, 
but  carried  no  personal  reproach  to  himself.  "  Go  on,"  she 
said  almost  lightly,  "  preach  to  me,  priest  of  the  obvious, 
preach  to  me.  Surely  it  is  a  situation  for  imps  and  satyrs, 
when  a  modern  bachelor  preaches  virtue  to  a  virgin.  No, 
you  do  not  understand,  and  I  cannot,  therefore,  blame  you." 

"  I  can  understand  this  much,  having  seen  it  tried  often 
enough ;  any  woman  who  does  what  you  have  tried,  lowers 
herself,  and  all  the  theories  in  the  world  are  of  no  avail." 

"And  I  know  quite  the  contrary,"  said  Miriam.  "  The 
ordinary  woman  yields  under  temptation  and  violates  her 
own  standards.  No  matter  what  the  absolute  effect  of  this, 
the  effect  upon  herself  is,  that  she  feels  that  she  has  fallen, 
and  is  willing,  even  anxious,  to  undergo  the  penance  of  seg- 
regation from  those  who  still  conform  to  rule;  but  not  so 
with  me ;  I  do  not  accept  your  savage  standard  of  morality, 
I  should  never  yield  to  temptation  —  and  this  is  my  great 
strength  —  I  should  merely  express  my  life  in  the  way 
which  best  suited  it,  and  in  harmony  with  my  own  convic- 
tions. There  is  no  use  discussing  it  further.  We  have 


THE    ENCHANTRESS  241 

twice  seen  life  in  the  raw  to-night.  Once  it  was  successful, 
once  it  was  not.  In  the  successful  case,  both  man  and 
woman  were  simple  and  honest;  with  us  there  was  no  sim- 
plicity upon  either  side;  and  so  I  shall  look  upon  the  first 
case  as  the  more  reliable.  At  any  rate,  it  need  make  no 
difference  in  our  peculiar  relations  as  employer  and  em- 
ployee." 

"  On  the  other  hand,  it  has  made  a  continuance  of  these 
relations  utterly  impossible,"  said  Phil  steadily. 

"  Your  month  is  not  up." 

"  Very  well,  if  you  wish  to  hold  me  upon  my  spoken  word,' 
you  can;  but  I  assure  you  that  it  will  not  be  pleasant." 
Phil's  normal  independence  had  returned  at  what  he  consid- 
ered an  injustice,  and  he  eyed  Miriam  steadily. 

"  No,  I  shall  not  hold  you,"  she  said  tenderly.  "  I  think, 
after  all,  I  love  you  more  as  a  son  than  as  a  lover.  The  love 
of  a  well  rounded  woman  is  made  up  of  all  the  emotions 
which  women  can  feel.  You  have  the  capacity  to  be  my 
mate,  but  have  not  yet  had  sufficient  development.  There 
is  much  in  you  that  is  fine  and  clean  and  strong ;  and  I  re- 
gret that  I  did  not  have  the  patience  to  wait  another  week. 
This  other  woman  must  have  character  also,  yet  twice  this 
night  did  she  nearly  lose  her  throne.  Go  your  way,  study 
life  as  it  sweeps  by  you;  and  if  the  time  ever  comes  when 
you  need  me,  I  shall  be  ready  to  help  you,  as  you  truly  have 
helped  me  during  the  last  three  weeks.  Advertise  for  me 
in  the  personal  columns  of  the  New  York  Herald,  and  no 
matter  where  you  are,  or  where  I  am,  I  shall  give  you  the 
help  you  need.  There  can  never  again  be  embarrassment 
between  us,  for  within  the  realm  of  truth  no  pretence  is  al- 
lowed, and  we  have  been  perfectly  frank.  Good-bye." 

She  held  out  a  strong,  steady  hand  which  Phil  took  in  a 


242        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

firm  clasp  and  their  eyes  rested  upon  each  other  in  perfect 
confidence.  "  I  shall  dispose  of  my  duds  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble, and  send  you  the  money,"  was  the  best  remark  that 
came  to  Phil,  and  like  the  hero  he  was,  he  made  it. 

"  What  a  boy,  what  a  perfect  boy,  you  are,"  she  said 
laughing  softly.  "  Money  has  worth  only  to  them  who  lack 
it.  Without  doing  one  thing  to  add  to  the  world's  wealth, 
I  am  richer  now  than  when  I  met  you.  I  really  wish  that 
you  would  accept  a  reasonable  loan  from  me,  and  take  an- 
other try  at  the  game,  although  it  really  is  not  for  you." 

Phil  shook  his  head.  "  I  know  you  mean  it,"  he  said, 
"  and  it  is  mighty  kind  of  you,  but  I  can't  do  it.  I  '11  just 
have  to  flounder  on  in  my  own  way  until  I  land  in  my  own 
groove ;  but  I  want  you  to  know  that  I  shall  always  respect 
you,  and  admire  you,  and — " 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  interrupted  Miriam ;  "  but  do  not  distress 
yourself  by  thinking  that  I  am  an  object  of  pity.  The  blood 
of  prophets  and  priests  and  kings,  flows  in  my  veins,  and  I 
want  no  pity  —  not  even  the  pity  of  God.  I  knew  the  game 
I  was  playing,  and  had  I  not  been  able  to  lose  the  game  with- 
out losing  my  dignity,  I  should  never  have  played  it. 
Good-bye,  and  the  best  of  luck  to  you." 

She  placed  her  hands  on  his  shoulders;  he  stooped,  and 
they  kissed.  For  a  long  time  their  lips  were  pressed  to- 
gether, and  then  Phil  turned  and  hurried  from  the  house, 
his  coat  thrown  over  his  arm. 

For  a  full  minute  after  the  door  had  closed,  Miriam  stood 
calmly  in  the  center  of  the  room,  then  she  sank  to  the  floor, 
and  with  her  face  pillowed  in  her  arm  gave  way  to  hard, 
dry  sobs ;  while  the  pale  morning  twilight  crept  in  to  take 
the  place  of  the  candles,  which  flickered  out  one  by  one. 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-TWO 

PHIL   IS   DIRECTED 

PHIL  was  surprised  to  see  that  while  he  had  lost  himself 
in  the  emotions  which  had  swirled  about  him,  Nature's  min- 
isters had  gone  calmly  on  with  their  regular  routine.  Just 
before  reaching  the  sidewalk  he  paused  to  put  on  his  over- 
coat, and  as  he  was  thus  engaged  a  well  dressed  man  who 
looked  as  if  he  might  belong  to  one  of  the  professions,  came 
from  the  east,  and  a  working  man  bearing  a  dinner  pail  came 
from  the  west.  They  passed  directly  in  front  of  him,  and, 
to  prove  humanity's  inherent  decency,  each  tossed  him  a 
knowing  grin,  and  went  on  his  way,  rejoicing  that  the  world 
was  still  young  enough  to  be  up  to  its  old  tricks, 

Phil  walked  slowly  along,  and  as  he  walked  he  tried  to 
take  his  bearings.  He  had  given  his  entire  cash,  with  the 
exception  of  a  little  small  change,  as  Jennie's  wedding  pres- 
ent, and  he  had  left  Miriam's  purse  upon  the  table  in  her 
parlor.  The  sale  of  his  clothing  and  the  pawning  of  his 
jewelry,  would  leave  him  about  one  hundred  dollars,  after 
his  bill  at  the  St.  Francis  was  paid. 

"  Well,"  he  said  aloud,  "  I  can't  see  that  I  could  have  acted 
in  any  other  way,  but  I  shall  certainly  have  to  move  to  a 
cheap  room  at  once,  and  take  up  the  hunt  for  work  just 
where  I  left  it." 

He  turned  to  look  at  the  bay,  which  was  as  beautiful  as 
the  Bay  of  Naples  this  morning.  There  was  not  a  cloud 

243 


244        THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

in  the  sky,  and  the  hills,  which  made  up  the  restful  shore- 
line, were  touched  with  all  the  colors  the  artists  love, 
while  the  bay  itself  mirrored  them  and  blended  them  with 
the  sky  above.  It  was  a  picture  to  lift  one  above  the  petty 
worries  of  mere  existence,  and  Phil's  emotions  gushed  forth 
in  one  of  those  wordless  prayers  which  are  always  an- 
swered. 

The  undoubted  belief  that  he  had  been  right  in  his  con- 
duct with  Miriam,  had  not  given  him  any  satisfaction.  He 
had  felt  that  in  some  way  he  had  been  neither  a  saint  nor  a 
hero;  but  only  ridiculous  with  the  immature  unreason  of  a 
boy.  But  now,  as  he  stood  watching  the  colors  of  the  land- 
scape gather  and  swell  and  split  into  shades  before  his 
eyes,  a  feeling  of  comfort  came  to  him. 

It  was  not  the  strange,  wonderful  woman,  foreign  to  all 
the  world,  whom  he  loved;  it  was  Edith,  and  he  was  never 
so  sure  of  it  as  he  was  this  moment.  Edith  was  strong,  in- 
tellectual, full  of  new  thoughts  and  old  ambitions ;  but  there 
were  things  this  other  woman  would  dare  to  do,  which 
Edith  would  not  even  dare  to  contemplate ;  and  Phil  heaved 
a  restful  sigh  to  think  that  he  was  still  free,  and  still  able 
to  return  to  Edith  and  look  into  her  eyes  without  flinch- 
ing. 

Phil's  spirit  was  quite  like  a  balloon:  it  always  rose  as 
high  as  circumstances  would  permit,  and  with  this  new 
thought  of  being  one  with  Edith  once  more,  it  soared  up 
into  the  blue,  and  he  caught  the  first  car  on  its  way  down 
town  and  arrived  at  the  St.  Francis  smiling  and  debonair. 

All  that  day  he  was  busy  selling  and  pawning  and  find- 
ing a  new  room.  This  time  he  chose  a  room  over  a 
grocery-saloon  on  the  corner  of  Larkin  and  Gary,  and  that 
night  he  was  so  weary  that  he  fell  asleep  in  the  lull  of 


PHIL   IS    DIRECTED  245 

that  peaceful  quiet  which  intervenes  between  the  labors  of 
the  day  and  the  pleasures  of  the  night. 

Next  morning  he  awakened  early,  and  gazed  about  his 
room  in  surprise.  An  arc  light  on  the  corner  furnished 
ample  illumination  to  show  clearly  all  its  contrasts  with 
the  room  he  had  lately  occupied  at  the  St.  Francis,  and  in 
spite  of  himself,  Phil's  heart  turned  to  the  fleshpots  of 
Egypt.  There  was  no  place  in  his  future  for  Edith;  he 
lacked  the  peculiar  something  which  achieves  success,  and, 
without  a  certain  success,  he  never  could,  and  he  never 
would,  face  Edith  again.  Valerie  Florian  had  offered  him 
everything  that  any  man  could  ask,  and  he  had  been  a  fool 
to  refuse  her. 

He  thus  lay  in  perfect  physical  comfort,  and  painstak- 
ingly provided  himself  with  mental  discomfort  until  the 
sun  rose  and  pointed  out  that  he  was  hungry.  As  there 
was  no  financial  reason  for  bothering  with  hunger,  he 
arose  and  began  to  dress.  His  volatile  spirits  arose  with 
him,  and  as  he  dressed  he  sang  snatches  of  songs.  By  the 
time  he  sallied  forth,  wearing  the  same  suit  he  had  worn 
when  he  had  met  Miriam,  and  the  only  one  he  had  saved, 
he  was  in  smiling  good  humor  and  dropped  into  the  first 
restaurant  for  a  hearty  breakfast. 

After  breakfast  he  sauntered  down  town  and  prepared 
to  establish  personal  relations  with  actual  toil.  He  was 
willing  to  work,  he  was  anxious  to  work;  but  he  was  not 
even  upon  speaking  terms  with  work  and  knew  not  how  to 
get  an  introduction.  He  felt  the  lack  of  harmony  between 
his  hands  and  his  clothes,  for  the  former  were  in  perfect 
order,  while  the  latter  were  rather  frayed.  Yet  he  walked 
all  day,  and,  according  to  his  nature,  hoped  that  some  mys- 
terious incident  would  occur  which  would  find  himself  to 


246        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

be  the  right  man  in  the  right  place  at  the  right  time.  As 
this  perfectly  plausible  situation  failed  to  materialize,  he 
walked  down  to  the  wharfs  and  sat  upon  a  heavy  timber, 
watching  a  gang  of  men  at  work.  He  watched  carefully, 
studiously,  for  some  time  and  then  struck  his  palm  with 
his  fist.  "  I  shall  buy  a  suit  of  over-alls  to-day,  and  I 
shall  not  wash  for  a  week ;  and  then  I  shall  try  this  sort  of 
work,"  he  exclaimed.  "  I  am  big  enough  for  it,  and  after 
a  little  training,  I  shall  be  strong  enough  for  it,  and  it  will 
beat  loafing  and  starving  all  hollow." 

This  was  Phil's  first  move  in  what  was  to  be  a  long, 
hard  fight.  He  bought  the  over-alls,  he  practised  exer- 
cises night  and  morning,  he  soiled  his  hands,  and  he  finally 
got  a  job.  He  worked  hard ;  but  he  was  not  popular  with 
either  men  or  boss,  and  he  could  not  hold  a  job  long.  He 
tried,  he  honestly  did  try ;  but  it  seemed  as  though  his  mis- 
fortunes were  too  consistent  to  be  merely  the  result  of 
natural  awkwardness,  and  after  a  time,  he  laid  it  all  to 
luck  and  gave  up. 

For  a  week  he  loafed  in  his  room,  reading  the  papers 
in  the  hope  that  he  would  find  something  which  would  call 
to  him,  and  devoting  the  rest  of  the  day  to  the  blank 
lethargy  of  a  prisoner.  At  the  end  of  the  week,  he  sur- 
rendered, and  one  evening  went  to  the  house  on  Pacific 
Avenue. 

A  maid  came  to  the  door  in  answer  to  his  ring,  told  him 
that  Mile.  Florian  had  left  the  week  previous  for  Los 
Angeles,  and  offered  to  get  him  her  address  if  he  wished 
it;  but  Phil  had  accepted  this  as  a  sign,  and  turned  away 
gloomily.  She  had  waited  a  month  to  sae  if  he  would 
relent,  and  had  then  given  up  and  gone  away.  All  right, 
he  would  go  to  work  again.  After  all  he  was  glad  to  have 


PHIL   IS    DIRECTED  247 

it  settled  by  Fate.  When  it  was  apparent  that  some  mys- 
terious outer  force  was  back  of  an  event,  it  relieved  him  of 
personal  responsibility,  and  saved  him  from  the  irritating 
reproof  of  that  still,  small  voice.  With  his  simple  mysti- 
cism, his  illusions  and  delusions,  his  rigid,  inconsistent  code 
of  honor,  and  the  courage  with  which  he  battled  imaginary 
wind-mills  and  real  giants,  Phil  was  a  knightly  soul,  in- 
deed; but  was  in  the  perplexing  situation  of  a  castaway 
tossed  up  from  the  waves  of  mediaevalism  upon  the  rocky 
shores  of  our  present  industrial  era.  He  was  willing,  even 
eager,  to  fight;  but  he  knew  not  the  ways  of  the  land,  and 
his  foes  were  all  in  ambush. 

For  the  next  month  or  six  weeks,  he  floated  with  the 
tide.  Some  days  his  naturally  sunny  temperament  would 
assert  itself  and  he  would  make  friends  with  street  chil- 
dren or  stray  dogs;  but  for  the  most  part  he  was  silent 
and  gloomy.  The  most  depressing  part  of  this  period  was 
its  utter  loneliness:  all  day  and  all  night,  there  was  the 
empty  void  near  his  heart  which  betokens  loss.  Some- 
times he  wondered  if  it  was  caused  by  his  separation  from 
Miriam ;  but  for  the  most  part  he  was  sure  that  it  was 
Edith  for  whom  he  yearned,  Edith  and  clean  linen  and  good 
cigars,  and  healthy  recreation,  and  all  the  commonplace 
trifles  which  made  up  his  old  life. 

He  gradually  fell  into  the  habit  of  roaming  the  streets 
at  night  and  sleeping  late  into  the  morning,  eating  when- 
ever appetite  demanded  food  in  unmistakable  tones.  His 
eyes  became  the  eyes  of  the  night-prowler,  but  he  was 
never  able  to  establish  friendly  terms  with  any  of  the 
other  nocturnal  wanderers.  They  always  regarded  him 
with  suspicion  and  this  was  doubly  hard,  in  contrast  with 
the  old  days  when  all  eyes  waved  answering  signals  in 


248        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

response  to  the  beams  of  his  own  greeting.  He  did  not 
fit,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest;  there  was  none  to  meet 
him  upon  the  common  ground  of  mutual  interest;  there 
was  none  who  could  harmonize  his  manners  and  his  ap- 
pearance, and,  throwing  suspicion  to  the  wind,  offer  him 
the  hearty  grip  of  fellowship. 

One  night  he  counted  his  money,  and  found  that  he  had 
thirty-five  dollars  left.  As  it  lay  spread  out  upon  the 
rickety  stand,  it  suggested  the  Cafe  Royal  with  its  generous 
democracy;  and  with  a  sudden  uplift  of  the  spirits,  he 
thrust  the  money  into  his  pocket  and  hurried  toward 
Market  Street. 

"  You  have  thirty-five  dollars  to  play  for  to-night,  friend," 
he  said  lightly  to  the  dealer,  who  had  recognized  him  with 
a  surly  grin. 

"  Every  little  bit  helps,"  responded  the  man. 

Twenty  minutes  later,  Phil  left  the  place  without  a  dime 
to  remind  him  of  the  hidden  source  of  all  evil ;  but  for  the 
recompense,  which  is  never  lacking,  if  we  search  closely 
enough,  the  resolution  to  find  work  had  returned  to  him 
after  a  long  absence. 

He  walked  around  to  the  Plaza  on  Kearny  and  sat  on 
the  low  stone  wall.  This  was  a  favorite  spot  with  him 
now :  he  had  learned  to  tell  from  the  different  stare  in  the 
eyes  which  passed  him,  whether  their  owners  smoked  hop, 
lived  on  cheap  wine,  or  had  lost  their  minds  from  brood- 
ing over  failure.  These  aliens,  who  lived  in  a  world  more 
unreal  than  even  his,  often  sat  beside  him  and  told  him 
wonderful  stories  in  which  truth  and  error  walked  arm  in 
arm  and  each  thought  the  other  his  twin.  There  was  no 
companionship  in  this,  for  the  eyes  of  the  speakers  stared 
into  Phil's  without  seeing  him,  and  the  speakers  themselves 


PHIL    IS    DIRECTED  249 

would  suddenly  stop  and  shamble  hurriedly  away  in  the 
midst  of  an  impending  climax;  but  a  morbid  fascination 
drew  Phil  there  night  after  night. 

This  night  he  walked  lightly  and  rapidly,  his  eyes  watch- 
ing keenly  for  prey.  At  night  the  whole  world  is  a  jungle, 
and  all  who  roam  it  are  either  of  the  hunting  or  the  hunted. 
He  knew  not  what  he  expected,  but  he  was  always  con- 
scious of  two  things,  his  empty  loneliness,  and  that  chance 
opportunity  which  would  put  him  back  into  the  world  of 
men  again. 

It  was  midnight  when  he  reached  the  Plaza,  and  scarce 
had  he  seated  himself  before  a  dirty  man  staggered  up  the 
street  and  stopped  in  front  of  him.  The  man  was  tall  and 
lanky  and  —  but  dirty  is  the  only  adjective  which  compre- 
hensively describes  his  utterly  forlorn  appearance;  and  yet 
the  creature  was  on  pleasure  bent. 

"Ain't  this  a  hell  of  a  town?"  he  asked  Phil  with  en- 
thusiasm. 

"  I  am  inclined  to  answer  that  it  is,"  replied  Phil. 

"  Inclined  to  answer,"  repeated  the  man  with  delight. 
"  Inclined  to  answer.  Here  is  one  who  is  inclined  to 
answer.  Most  witnesses  decline  to  answer,  but  here  is  one 
inclined  to  answer.  You  are  a  find,  son,  you  are  a  gift 
from  the  gods,  you  are  refreshing  to  a  dry  man  in  a  hot 
desert.  I  have  asked  this  same  question  six  hundred  times 
before  this  evening,  and  you  are  the  first  one  who  was 
inclined  to  answer.  You  must  have  been  either  a  lawyer 
or  a  newspaper  man  before  you  stepped  out  of  your  bal- 
loon and  started  down  in  the  parachute.  You  would  not 
think  to  look  at  me  —  but  let  that  go ;  the  autobiographical 
market  is  not  at  present  insisting  upon  a  contribution  from 
Arnold  Nelson  Padgett,  and  if  you  will  accept  a  very 


250        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

excellent  cigar,  I  am  inclined  to  perch  beside  you  and 
listen  to  who  you  are  and  why  you  are  inclined  to  answer 
that  this  is  a  hell  of  a  town." 

The  man's  voice  was  musical  and  it  suggested  platform 
training.  "  Oh,  I  am  nothing  of  interest,"  answered  Phil, 
feeling  a  restful  happiness  as  his  nature  reached  outward 
and  met  a  fellow,  somewhere  beyond  the  dirt  and  the  dark- 
ness. "  I  had  my  little  fling,  lost  everything  but  my  appe- 
tite, and  here  I  am  without  the  price  of  a  breakfast,  or  the 
gift  of  begging." 

"  Oh  —  ho,  as  if  that  was  all  of  your  story !  Why,  I  can 
read  more  than  that  in  the  new  lines  in  your  face;  but 
never  mind.  The  very  fact  that  you  neither  tell  your  own 
story  nor  fake  a  better  one  proves  that  you  have  been  down 
among  us  long  enough  to  develop  a  callous,  and  yet  not 
long  enough  to  learn  how  to  use  it.  You  would  not  sus- 
pect, just  to  look  at  my  outer  accumulations,  that  I  once 
refused  a  cabinet  portfolio  simply  because  I  could  not 
have  the  one  I  wanted ;  but  such  is  the  romantic  truth. 
And  so  you  have  not  yet  solved  the  perplexity  of  breakfast. 
Well,  touch  my  hump,  boy.  I  just  pulled  out  a  nice  little 
prize  from  the  Mex  Lot,  and  I  hope  that  this  time  I  die 
before  I  get  sober  again.  Do  you  really  want  to  work?  " 

"  That  is  not  the  question.     I  really  have  to." 

"  Oh,  I  am  glad  I  met  you ! "  exclaimed  the  dirty  man. 
"  Do  you  know,  that  the  one  thing  I  continue  to  miss,  is 
conversation?  Yes,  sir,  conversation.  That  is  why  your, 
inclined  to  answer,  form  had  such  an  effect  on  me.  Down 
here  in  the  slime,  they  growl  and  snarl  and  make  signs ; 
but  they  never  converse.  I  am  simply  oozing  out  all  over 
you  with  the  joy  of  finding  someone  who  knows  the  dif- 
ference between  an  endive  salad  and  a  preposition.  I  '11 


PHIL   IS    DIRECTED  251 

give  you  a  job  and  my  blessing  both;  but  I  have  to  hold 
a  little  conversation  with  you  first.  Will  you  join  me  in  a 
bottle  of  wine  and  some  simple  food?  " 

"  Thank  you,  I  should  be  delighted,"  replied  Phil ;  "  but 
only  for  the  sake  of  your  company,  as  I  am  not  really 
hungry." 

"  A  perfectly  proper  reply,  perfectly  proper.  The  reply 
of  a  gentleman,  and  not  the  brutal  spring  upon  alms  which 
a  mendicant  gives.  I  dislike  mendicants ;  they  rob  even 
charity,  that  divine  old  word,  of  all  its  significance.  Come, 
let  us  hasten.  I  have  over  three  hundred  dollars  in  my 
pocket,  and  we  shall  make  a  night  of  it." 

Phil  followed  his  strange  companion  to  a  barrel  shop, 
where  they  seated  themselves  at  one  of  the  tables,  and 
where  the  old  man  displayed  a  knowledge,  and  a  taste  in 
wine  which  was  not  a  necessary  accomplishment  in  the 
underworld. 

"  Before  we  begin,"  suggested  Phil  courteously,  but  dis- 
creetly, "  I  wish  that  you  would  tell  me  about  this  work. 
We  may  be  separated,  you  know,  and  I  would  feel  relieved 
to  have  something  definite  to  look  forward  to." 

"  Why,  my  boy,  you  have  no  excuse  for  being  down  and 
out.  You  certainly  are  canny  enough  to  live  on  the  sweat 
of  another's  brow;  but  I  like  the  trait,  I  like  the  trait 
In  fact,  I  like  the  trait  better  than  you  will  like  the  work 
I  hereby  offer  you.  Until  this  evening,  I  have  been  bed- 
maker  in  a  boarding  house  near  the  Union  Iron  Works. 
I  have  held  this  responsible  position  for  three  months  — 
and  I  hope  I  die  before  I  become  sober  again.  It  makes 
no  difference  where  I  go,  I  shall  enjoy  the  change.  I  pro- 
pose to  turn  the  job  over  to  you  before  Mrs.  Clancy  knows 
that  I  have  folded  my  tents  like  the  Arabs.  Mrs.  Clancy 


252        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

would  not  know  an  Arab  from  a  tent,  but  she  is  a  good 
woman  —  and  after  you  have  seen  her,  you  can  probably 
guess  why." 

"  A  bed-maker,"  repeated  Phil  with  falling  inflection. 

"  Yes,  my  boy.  I  was  once  regarded  as  an  able  consti- 
tutional lawyer ;  but  for  the  past  three  months,  I  have  made 
beds  for  the  filthiest,  beastliest,  dirtiest  —  well,  look  at  me ! 
What  you  see  is  part  of  the  muck  which  adhered  in  the 
process  of  tidying  up  the  apartments  of  a  swarm  of  two- 
legged  brutes  who  have  not  touched  water,  internally  or 
externally,  since  it  was  discovered  that  none  of  the  an- 
thropoid apes  could  swim.  If  you  throw  a  chair  at  Mrs. 
Clancy  the  first  time  she  curses  you,  you  will  get  along 
with  her  nicely;  but  if  you  respond  with  a  soft  answer, 
she  will  bite  you,  and  her  bite  is  poison.  Oh,  it 's  not  so 
bad;  I  stood  it  three  months;  but  if  I  live  to  get  sober 
this  time,  I  intend  to  see  if  a  man  of  my  age  can  swim  to 
China.  I  '11  die  clean,  anyway ;  and  that  is  more  than  any 
man  can  say  who  expires  while  making  beds  for  Mrs. 
Clancy.  No  one  boards  with  her  who  can  get  in  any- 
where else.  If  you  wish  to  cut  off  some  flesh,  her  table 
will  suit  you  first  rate,  otherwise  —  But,  come,  flat  wine  is 
like  an  unsought  kiss." 

Phil  drank  his  wine  without  interest.  His  mind  was. 
busy  upon  the  business  opening  which  confronted  him. 
Should  he  become  Mrs.  Clancy's  bed-maker,  through  force 
or  cunning;  or  should  he  assist  the  dirty  man  to  dispose 
of  the  wealth  which  the  Mexican  Lottery  had  granted  him, 
and  then  join  him  in  the  swim  to  China?  Phil  had  be- 
come a  little  hardened  to  the  idea  of  suicide  since  having 
become  a  night-prowler.  Out  alone  in  the  jungle,  one  is 
not  bothered  much  by  abstract  morals.  One  is  offered  the 


PHIL   IS    DIRECTED  253 

proposition  of  living  or  not,  and  one  considers  from  a 
physical  standpoint,  and  without  being  greatly  agitated 
over  what  some  book  or  some  man  may  have  to  say  upon 
the  subject. 

This  time,  Phil  shook  himself  vigorously,  and  decided  to 
be  a  bed-maker.  If  this  step,  also,  was  required  to  prepare 
him  for  some  future  test,  he  would  take  it  with  what  dig- 
nity he  could;  so  he  sounded  the  dirty  man  to  his  lowest 
depths  —  from  a  professional  standpoint.  The  dirty  man 
had  shaken  off  his  old  life  like  the  shell  of  a  larva,  and  was 
no  longer  greatly  interested  in  it,  preferring  to  sing  out 
his  short,  real  life  joyously  in  the  cheering  sunshine ;  but 
he  accommodated  Phil  with  full  details,  and  then  ordered 
another  bottle  of  wine  and  began  to  quote  poetry.  He  had 
a  happy  way  with  poetry,  a  freedom,  a  familiarity,  which 
enabled  him  to  swing  out  on  one  poet  and  back  on  another 
without  losing  a  single  beat  in  the  rhythm,  although  it  must 
be  confessed  that  occasionally  the  theme  was  served  in  the 
form  of  hash,  a  la  Mrs.  Clancy. 

"  Which  portfolio  were  you  offered  ?  "  asked  Phil,  recall- 
ing an  earlier  remark  made  by  his  host. 

"  Secretary  of  State,"  replied  the  dirty  man  scornfully. 
"  Yes,  sir,  Secretary  of  State.  Why,  I  should  as  soon 
have  been  professor  of  mathematics  in  a  girls'  college.  I 
did  not  even  answer  the  President's  letter;  never  wrote  to 
him  again,  and  we  were  boyhood  friends;  I  saved  his  life 
twice." 

"What  portfolio  did  you  want?"  asked  Phil,  much  im- 
pressed. 

"  I  wanted  to  be  Secretary  of  Female  Distribution,"  re- 
plied the  dirty  man  in  tones  of  the  utmost  profundity. 

In   Phil's   condition,   the   effect  of  the   second   bottle   of 


254        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

wine  was  quite  perceptible;  but  still  he  felt  certain  that 
no  such  office  was  then  in  existence.  "  I  was  not  aware 
that  we  had  such  a  department,"  he  rejoined. 

"  We  have  not,"  replied  the  dirty  man  in  a  tone  of  tri- 
umphant vindication.  "  I  proposed  to  create  it,  and  it 
would  have  been  the  crowning  achievement  of  man's  prog- 
ress during  the  nineteenth  century.  There  are  in  this 
world  two  distinct  kinds  of  women;  one  belongs  in  the 
harem,  the  other  in  the  kitchen.  During  her  earthly  ex- 
istence, Mrs.  Clancy  belongs  in  a  kitchen;  and  her  future 
will  also  be  spent  amidst  flames  and  broilers  —  but  this  is 
merely  an  item.  Now,  you  understand  that  in  making 
these  two  large  divisions,  I  have  merely  suggested,  gen- 
eralized, brought  a  large  thought  before  you  in  a  nutshell. 
The  harem  women  are  those  of  beauty,  charm,  accom- 
plishments and  so  forth;  the  kitchen  women  are  those  who 
clean  up  the  world,  cook  its  meals,  make  its  clothing  and 
tend  to  the  lower,  but  none  the  less  honorable,  phases  of 
existence.  During  my  happier  days,  I  was  frequently  dis- 
turbed by  having  my  meals  prepared  by  harem  women, 
while  I  was  forced  to  attempt  the  entertainment  of  a  dismal 
female  whose  brain-cells  were  so  badly  scattered  that  no 
two  of  them  touched  each  other.  I  made  inquiries  and  dis- 
covered that  my  experiences  were  the  rule  rather  than  the 
exception.  Being  a  thorough  patriot,  I  determined  to  de- 
vote my  life  to  the  study  of  woman  with  a  view  to  the 
earliest  possible  classification,  so  that  no  useless  education 
would  be  wasted  upon  a  single  individual.  Man  did  not 
come  into  this  world  at  his  own  request ;  but  now  that  he 
is  here  he  must  make  the  best  of  it.  He  can't  afford  to 
have  his  hours  of  ease  turned  into  torment,  any  more  than 
he  can  afford  to  have  the  raw  materials  of  a  worthy  meal 


PHIL    IS    DIRECTED  255 

sacrificed  to  the  wandering  thoughts  of  a  woman  who  is 
perfectly  capable  of  wearing  a  low-necked  dress  and  play- 
ing on  a  harp." 

"  You  seem  to  have  looked  at  life  entirely  from  the 
masculine  standpoint,"  said  Phil,  amused  beyond  the  influ- 
ence of  his  own  private  troubles. 

"  There  is  no  other  standpoint,"  said  the  dirty  man,  after 
the  manner  of  one  who  seals  a  discussion  against  any  pos- 
sible reopening;  "woman  herself  accepts  life  from  the 
man's  standpoint,  and  then  reproaches  man  for  every  dis- 
comfort she  brings  upon  herself.  The  wheedling  sex  has 
such  an  endless  variety  of  excuses,  that  it  never  feels  the 
need  of  reason.  I  know  more  about  woman  than  any  other 
man  ever  did.  Beyond  doubt,  Solomon's  latter  cynicism 
was  due  to  the  fact  that  his  harem  was  filled  with  kitchen 
women,  and  his  amateurish  attempts  to  rectify  earlier  mis- 
takes, by  adding  what  might  be  called  a  harem-annex,  led 
him  to  believe  that  it  was  utterly  impossible  for  woman  to 
add  anything  but  sorrow  to  the  life  of  man.  He  was 
wrong :  quantity  is  not  the  aim  —  I  mean  numbers,  rather 
than  quantity.  If  a  man  were  married  to  all  the  women 
in  the  world,  he  would  not  be  content ;  no,  indeed.  He 
would  find  less  of  feminine  charm  than  if  he  were  married 
to  just  the  one  right  woman.  That  is  the  secret;  that  is 
what  I  intended  to  prove  through  my  department." 

"  Were  you  ever  married  ?  "  asked  Phil. 

A  worried  expression  came  to  the  old  man's  face  and  he 
rested  his  brow  upon  his  hand  for  a  moment.  "  That  is 
the  one  thing  I  can  never  remember,"  he  explained  with 
childish  pathos.  "  I  remember  that  at  one  time  my  life 
was  round  and  full;  and  there  was  one  I  called  Mary,  but 
I  cannot  place  her;  I  cannot  tell  where  she  ended  and  my 


256        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

happiness  began.  When  I  try  to  think  of  the  happiness, 
I  see  her,  and  when  I  try  to  see  her,  I  only  feel  a  great, 
soft,  wonderful  happiness,  like  a  pipe  organ,  when  the  old, 
white  haired  organist  thinks  he  is  alone  in  the  church  and 
his  soul  weaves  a  ladder  of  melody  up  to  the  Throne.  I 
can  see  the  millions  of  other  women,  and  Mrs.  Clancy, 
I  can  see  her  now  —  but  I  hope  that  the  fishes  eat  my  eyes 
before  I  get  sober  enough  to  see  her  again  in  the  flesh — • 
and  she  has  mountains  of  it.  I  wish  Satan  would  put  her 
in  his  harem,  and  then  the  human  race  would  have  a 
revenge  worth  talking  about.  And  so  you  are  inclined1  to 
answer  that  this  is  a  hell  of  a  town?  " 

Phil  tried  to  get  the  old  man  to  go  to  a  hotel ;  but  it  was 
useless.  He  did  not  become  intoxicated;  he  merely  con- 
tinued to  drink  and  talk,  sometimes  with  shrewdness,  some- 
times merely  babbling;  and  when  the  dawn  drew  near, 
Phil  left  him  and  started  for  the  boarding  house  of  Mrs. 
Clancy,  although  by  this  time  he  doubted  that  it  had  any 
existence  outside  the  old  man's  fancy. 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-THREE 

Ai  WIDE  DETOUR 

IT  was  seven  o'clock  by  the  time  Phil  reached  the  house 
to  which  the  dirty  man  had  directed  him;  and  as  he  stood 
outside  and  viewed  its  dilapidated  visage,  he  forgave  the 
dirty  man  his  appearance,  and  had  to  grip  his  will  tightly 
to  keep  from  turning  back.  With  a  last  desperate  effort, 
he  raised  his  hand  and  knocked  upon  the  door. 

Almost  immediately  a  door  banged  at  the  far  end  of 
the  hall,  and  he  heard  heavy  footfalls  coming  rapidly  to- 
ward him.  The  door  was  thrown  back  and  he  found  him- 
self looking  down  into  the  angry  face  of  a  short  woman 
of  quite  unique  breadth.  Her  sleeves  were  rolled  above 
her  elbows,  and  as  Phil  looked  at  her  mammoth  forearms, 
he  wondered  how  any  cuffs  could  ever  be  stretched  to  en- 
compass them.  The  woman's  face  was  hard  and  fierce, 
and  Phil  speculated  upon  the  appearance  of  a  finger  which 
had  been  caught  between  the  strong,  yellow  teeth  which  her 
snarling  lip  exposed. 

"  What  d'  ya  want  ?  "  she  demanded. 

"  Can  you  tell  me  where  Mrs.  Clancy  lives  ?  "  asked  Phil 
suavely. 

"  Mrs.  Clancy  don't  live,  she  exists ;  I  am  Mrs.  Clancy. 
What  d'  ya  want  ?  " 

"  It  would  require  a  month  for  me  to  give  you  an  un- 
abridged list  of  my  wants,"  responded  Phil.  "  What  I  wish 

257 


258        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

to  see  you  about,  is  the  position  of  bed-maker,  which  I 
understand  is  now  vacant." 

The  woman  stared  at  him  a  moment,  and  then  broke 
into  a  loud  guffaw.  "  Will,  glory  be ! "  she  exclaimed. 
"  You  're  as  much  at  home  as  a  snake  in  Ireland.  Did 
y'  iver  make  a  bid?  " 

Now,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  a  kindly  twinkle  had 
peeked  out  through  one  of  the  fierce  woman's  wrinkles, 
and  something  in  Phil's  nature  had  given  it  joyous  re- 
sponse. "  I  don't  think  I  ever  did  make  a  bed,"  replied 
Phil  soberly,  "  but  I  once  knew  a  man  who  did,  and  I  think 
I  could  learn." 

"  Aw,  don't  bother  wid  such  work  as  that,  boiy,"  said 
Mrs.  Clancy  in  a  motherly  tone.  "  Sure  this  is  a  sty  of  a 
hole  at  the  bisht,  and  a  lad  loike  ye,  can  git  a  good  job 
at  good  wages.  Besides  which,  I  hov  a  crazy  owld  idiot 
here  now  who 's  doin'  the  work  fer  me,  albeit  he  's  off  now 
on  his  monthly  drunk,  the  day.  Poor  owld  soul,  he  ain't 
able  to  do  a  man's  work,  but  you  can  do  annything  you 
wish;  and  don't  ye  bother  wid  bid-makinV 

"  Your  other  bed-maker  has  quit,  and  he  sent  me  after 
the  place,"  said  Phil. 

"  Oh,  he  quits  ivery  day  in  the  week ;  and  at  the  ind  ov 
ivery  month  goes  off  vowin'  to  drown  himself  in  order  to 
blacken  me  riputation  wid  the  divil;  but  he  always  comes 
back  as  soon  as  he  goes  broke." 

"  Well,  let  me  try  it  until  he  returns,"  said  Phil. 

"  I  don't  think  you  could  stand  it  a  day ;  but  as  Jong  as 
you  're  here,  come  on  in  an'  get  your  breakfast,  and  you 
can  try  it  till  Skinny  comes  back.  He  was  braggin'  about 
winnin'  in  the  lottery ;  an'  whiniver  he  wins  annything  he 
allus  starts  to  have  an  interview  wid  Gineral  Grant ;  but  he  's 


A   WIDE    DETOUR  259 

niver  got  beyond  the  city  limits  yit.  Oi  have  a  hard  crowd 
ov  foreigners  here,  and  you  niver  could  stand  'em. 
Would  yaz  iver  think,  now,  that  Oi  used  to  be  called  the 
colleen  bawn  ?  " 

Phil  looked  at  her  steadily,  and  replied :     "  I  would  not." 

"  You  're  an  honest  lad,"  said  Mrs.  Clancy,  nodding  her 
head.  "  There  was  a  toime  whin  there  was  n't  enough 
flattery  in  the  world  to  sooth  me  taste  fer  ut ;  but  if  you  'd 
'a'  give  me  any  blarney  to  the  question  Oi  jist  asked,  Oi  'd 
'a'  knocked  yaz  down  wid  me  fist.  Oi  've  been  a  widdy 
twinty  years,  and  Oi  Ve  worked  loike  a  slave  gang 
an'  Oi  've  fought  wid  ivery  sort  uv  a  monkey-faced 
foreigner  there  is  in  the  world.  It 's  tough  luck,  not 
nature,  that  hammers  us  up  the  way  we  are ;  and  Skinny  's 
iverlastin'  blab  about  harem  women  an'  kitchen  women,  is 
all  drivel.  Come  on  in,  and  have  a  cup  uv  coffee ;  yer  eyes 
look  loike  a  pair  ov  spoiled  oysters." 

Skinny  did  not  return,  and  Phil  kept  the  place  a  month, 
a  month  during  which  he  seemed  to  be  climbing  in  the 
darkness,  a  hill  of  slipping,  sliding,  creeping  sand.  He  had 
one  fight  with  Mrs.  Clancy,  and  one  with  each  one  of  her 
boarders ;  and  when  the  month  was  up,  and  he  was  handed 
fifteen  dollars  in  gold  as  his  share  of  the  world's  produc- 
tion of  wealth  during  the  previous  thirty  days,  he  knew 
not  whether  to  laugh  or  to  cut  his  throat. 

He  stood  looking  at  the  two  coins  in  his  palm,  and 
thought  of  the  dirty  blankets  he  had  shaken  and  straight- 
ened and  tucked,  the  foul  basins  he  had  cleaned,  the  filthy 
floors  he  had  swept,  and  the  dirty,  beastlike  men  who  had 
sneered  at  him  in  words  he  could  not  understand;  and  to 
match  these  thoughts  and  make  their  significance  complete, 
came  clear,  vivid  pictures  of  balls  and  week-ends,  rides  in 


26o       THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  park,  evenings  in  his  own  apartment,  and  all  the  sights, 
sounds,  and  perfumes  which  made  up  his  old,  happy  life. 

He  raised  his  eyes  to  Mrs.  Clancy's,  and  found  them 
fixed  sympathetically  upon  him.  He  also  found  that  Edith 
seemed  to  be  standing  back  of  her  and  regarding  him  with 
disgust. 

"That's  all  I  iver  pay,  lad,"  said  Mrs.  Clancy.  "It 
takes  a  lot  o'  scrapin'  fer  me  to  kape  ahid ;  but  if  you  need 
a  little  extra,  Oi  '11  advance  ut,  or  if  yaz  need  ut  bad,  Oi  '11 
give  it  to  ya." 

"  No,"  said  Phil,"  this  is  exactly  the  amount  I  needed ; 
but  I  think  that  as  soon  as  you  can  find  someone  to  re- 
place me,  I  shall  resign." 

"  Oi  don't  blame  ya  a  bit,  although  Oi  've  grown  to  have 
a  loikin'  fer  ya;  but  you  can  aisy  foind  a  real  man's  work 
somewhere.  Oi've  been  watchin'  yaz  purty  close  this 
month,  and  ya  remind  me  uv  what  Oi  Ve  often  said  —  If 
the 's  anny  doubt  about  me  stickin'  in  Heaven  afther  Oi 
once  git  there,  Oi  hope  Oi  '11  be  sint  to  Hill  direct.  It 's 
koind  o'  toirsome  to  climb;  but  it  don't  hurt  loike  fallin'. 
Oi  '11  have  a  bid-maker  here  be  the  morrow ;  so  ya  can 
go  whiniver  yaz  loike,  an'  good  luck  to  ya.  Oi  've  wanted 
to  mother  ya  a  bit,  lad;  but  yer  not  my  koind,  an'  Oi 
couldn't  reach  ya." 

To  Phil,  there  was  something  more  in  his  farewell  to 
Mrs.  Clancy  than  the  mere  form  of  it.  It  seemed  as  a 
symbol  of  the  weakness  and  futility  of  human  endeavor. 
Here  was  a  woman  who  had  once  been  beautiful ;  who  had 
once  thrilled  to  love ;  who  had  once  looked  down  with  lofty 
scorn  upon  the  sorrows  and  the  bitterness  of  life;  who 
had  once  been  called  the  colleen  bawn ;  and  who  had 
recognized  in  him  something  of  the  fellowship  which  one 


AWIDEDETOUR  261 

fallen  monarch  might  feel  for  another;  and  had  yet  found 
no  way  to  point  out  the  pitfalls  in  his  path  or  cheer  him 
on  his  way;  just  a  wave  of  the  hand  to  him  through  the 
gloom,  and  a  wordless  call  swallowed  up  in  the  swirling 
wind. 

And  so  Phil  Lytton  wandered  back  to  his  old  haunts, 
weakly  searching  for  work  during  the  day,  craftily  search- 
ing for  prey,  vague,  intangible,  but  alluring,  during  the 
night.  He  hoped  that  he  might  find  the  dirty  man  whose 
post  as  bed-maker  he  had  taken;  but  he  never  found  him, 
or  any  who  could  give  word  of  him.  When  the  wolf  can 
no  longer  make  his  kill,  he  creeps  out  of  the  pack  to  die 
alone,  and  thus  it  is  in  the  artificial  jungle  which  man  has 
made  of  the  world.  An  obituary  notice  is  not  a  human 
heritage ;  it  is  as  much  a  reservation  as  a  Pullman  berth. 
Some  horses  receive  an  obituary  notice,  some  humans  do 
not;  for  even  Death,  which  comes  to  all,  is  forced  to  con- 
form to  the  etiquette  which  vanity  and  greed  have  estab- 
lished, and  "  Skinny  "  had  slipped  quietly  away,  to  see  if  a 
man  of  his  age  could  swim  to  China,  and  was  now  rocking 
peacefully  to  and  fro  some  fathoms  beneath  the  surface  of 
the  bay,  where  he  had  at  last  found  his  exact  level. 

During  his  nightly  wanderings  at  this  period,  it  was 
Fate's  whim  to  throw  Phil  into  contact  with  those  whose 
minds  were  turned  toward  suicide.  He  met  several  who 
had  tried  and  failed  and  meant  to  try  again ;  he  met  several 
whose  minds  were  fully  made  up,  but  who  did  not  intend 
to  fail,  and  were  engaged  in  investigating  the  various 
methods,  in  order  to  choose  the  most  comfortable  and  the 
most  certain.  A  fine  distinction  is  shown  in  the  selection 
of  the  precise  window  from  which  one  is  to  jump  from 
the  prison  of  life,  and  the  gruesome  details  of  the  different 


262        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

methods,  and  the  morbid  arguments  in  justification  of  them, 
held  session  in  Phil's  imagination  after  he  had  crept  back 
to  his  room  and  would  be  yearning  for  sleep ;  and  mingled 
in  his  dreams  after  he  had  finally  crossed  the  thin  line  of 
consciousness. 

He  had  a  deep-rooted  prejudice  against  employment 
agencies;  but  he  forced  himself  to  enter  them  during  the 
second  week  after  he  had  left  Mrs.  Clancy's.  The  foul 
air  nearly  stifled  him.  The  agency  was  in  a  basement,  the 
men  who  lounged  there  smoked  black  pipes  whose  fumes 
did  their  best  to  hide  the  odors  of  dry  sweat;  but  there 
was  a  sickening,  repulsive,  personal  insult  to  his  nostrils 
in  every  breath  he  took,  and  Phil  could  not  remain  in  the 
room  long  enough  to  read  the  list  of  jobs  posted  upon  the 
blackboards. 

He  walked  to  the  next  agency,  breathing  deeply,  and  de- 
termined to  overcome  his  squeamishness ;  but  it  required  all 
his  will  power  to  force  him  to  enter.  He  read  the  list  of 
jobs  here,  and  found  that  any  man  with  a  trade  was  to 
be  envied.  There  were  plenty  of  places  for  men  who  knew 
how  to  do  things ;  but  there  was  scant  welcome  for  the  man 
who  merely  desired  work  to  enable  him  to  continue  an  ex- 
istence which  was  of  no  particular  interest  to  anyone  else, 
or  at  least  to  any  of  those  who  have  become  owners  and 
controllers  of  the  world's  work,  and  therefore  arbiters  of 
final  resort  to  the  workers.  The  man  who  could  milk 
twenty  cows  was  guaranteed  a  pleasant  home  and  a  steady 
job ;  the  mucker  was  informed  that  he  would  be  "  shipped  " 
to  the  muck,  and  was  advised  to  bring  his  own  blankets  if 
he  cared  for  such  luxuries. 

At  the  third  agency,  Phil  came  upon  an  item  of  com- 


A    WIDE    DETOUR  263 

manding  interest:  The  New  Hygia  Quicksilver  Company 
desired  furnace  men  with  such  an  uncontrollable  desire 
that  they  were  willing  to  pay  two  dollars  a  day  in  wages, 
and  furnish  sleeping  quarters.  It  was  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship;  it  was  a  royal  welcome  and  Phil  trembled  as 
he  hurried  to  the  clerk's  window,  for  fear  some  luckier 
man  would  beat  him  in  making  application. 

The  clerk,  pasty  faced  and  flabby  fleshed  from  spending 
his  days  shut  off  from  the  cleansing  sunshine,  leered  at  the 
eagerness  with  which  Phil  inquired  into  the  duties  and 
privileges  of  a  furnace  man.  A  furnace  man  worked  from 
ten  to  twenty  minutes  out  of  the  hour ;  board  was  five  dol- 
lars a  week ;  the  company  advanced  stage  fare  and  checked 
it  off  completely  if  applicant  stayed  a  month;  applicant 
would  have  to  furnish  his  own  blankets,  but  the  other  in- 
struments of  civilized  life  would  be  found  by  the  company. 
It  sounded  very  pleasant  to  Phil  and  set  him  to  instant 
calculation,  five  from  twelve  left  seven  dollars  net  a  week, 
in  fifteen  weeks  he  could  have  a  hundred  dollars,  in  a  year, 
at  least  three  hundred  dollars,  in  three  years  of  scrimping 
and  working  extra,  a  thousand  dollars,  and  then  he  could 
return  to  New  York  and  make  a  call  on  Edith.  He  paid 
the  clerk  a  dollar  as  fee,  and  felt  like  shaking  hands  with 
him. 

He  bought  a  second  hand,  or  rather  third  hand,  army 
blanket  for  one  dollar  that  evening,  and  next  day  left  on 
a  branch  of  the  Southern  Pacific,  with  ninety-five  cents  in 
his  pocket  and  a  boundless  hope  in  his  heart.  Arriving  at 
Tres  Pinos,  he  discovered  that  the  stage  did  not  leave  until 
five  the  next  morning;  so  he  omitted  the  evening  meal,  and 
slept  under  a  shed,  rolled  in  his  army  blanket  and  dream- 


264        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

ing  wonderful  dreams.  It  was  July  and  soft  and  pleasant. 
He  rose  with  the  sun,  and  every  prospect  was  pleasing, 
while  for  a  brief  period,  not  even  man  was  vile. 

The  slip  from  the  employment  agency  granted  him  a  ride 
to  the  mines,  and  he  clambered  into  the  ancient  Rockaway, 
and  jolted  up  the  mountain  trail  on  its  stiff  leathern  springs, 
very  joyously.  It  was  a  sixty-mile  ride,  and  Phil  was 
forced  to  spend  twenty-five  cents  at  noon  for  a  meal,  and 
ate  until  his  self-respect  compelled  him  to  halt.  The  driver 
had  examined  Phil  on  his  entrance,  had  decided  that  he 
lacked  the  qualities  of  a  companion,  and  from  that  on  had 
reserved  his  own  expressions  for  the  horses,  and  the  regu- 
lar inhabitants  whose  personal  tastes  and  histories  appeared 
to  be  familiar  to  the  smallest  detail.  He  had  a  happy  and 
original  way  of  talking  to  the  horses,  twelve  of  which  were 
used  in  three  relays,  and  each  had  a  distinct  name  and  in- 
dividuality. 

The  driver  used  the  whip  constantly,  as  a  conversational 
threat;  but  he  did  not  apply  the  lash  during  the  entire 
journey  which  was  mostly  upgrade  and  wearisome.  If  one 
of  the  horses  evinced  a  tendency  to  shirk,  the  driver  would 
reproach  him,  tell  the  other  horses  what  kind  of  a  shirk 
he  really  was  and  how  disgracefully  immoral  his  ancestors 
and  relatives  had  been  until  that  horse  would  shake  his 
head,  bow  his  neck,  and  try  to  pull  the  entire  load.  Then 
the  driver  would  laugh  with  his  shoulders,  and  hum  a 
curious  medley  which  suggested  all  the  tunes  anyone  had 
ever  heard.  Phil  wanted  to  establish  friendly  relations 
with  him ;  but  recognized  the  barrier,  and  so  shook  about 
in  the  rear  seat,  and  wondered  if  he  was  getting  as  dusty 
inside  as  outside. 


A   WIDE    DETOUR  265 

The  valley  coming  into  the  mining  camp  was  cool  and 
pleasant,  supper  was  ready,  and  as  Phil  sat  down  to  it,  he 
felt  that  once  again,  the  world  was  beginning  to  smile  upon 
him.  After  supper,  he  was  shown  the  sleeping  quarters. 
They  did  not  entirely  gratify  his  sense  of  the  good,  the 
true,  and  the  beautiful,  even  in  his  then  mood  of  easy 
standards.  They  were  in  shacks  made  of  rough  slabs 
which  had  probably  been  upon  intimate  terms  at  some 
earlier  age,  but  were  now  warped  and  shrunk  into  selfish 
isolation.  Each  shack  had  four  rooms  on  a  side  while  the 
roofs  projected  four  feet,  making  rude  porches. 

The  watchman  took  Phil  to  the  last  shack  and  opened 
the  door  to  the  last  room.  The  room  was  filled  with  the 
strenuous  odor  of  chloride  of  lime;  the  only  other  occu- 
pant was  a  rough  wooden  bunk.  The  chloride  of  lime 
rushed  forth  to  welcome  Phil,  but  the  bunk  continued  to 
maintain  a  sullen  reserve. 

"  Is  —  is  this  the  only  choice  ?  "  asked  Phil. 

"  'Smarter  'ith  this  ?  "  returned  the  watchman  a  little  re- 
sentfully. 

"  There  seems  to  be  too  much  odor,  and  too  little  of  any- 
thing else,"  replied  Phil. 

"  You  did  n't  send  any  orders  ahead  as  to  how  you 
wanted  the  room  furnished,  did  ya  ?  "  asked  the  watchman, 
who  prided  himself  upon  his  wit. 

"No,  I  didn't,"  replied  Phil  haughtily;  "but  neither 
did  I  send  any  orders  ahead  to  have  my  stall  saturated 
with  disinfectants." 

"  This  here  is  the  cleanest  room  in  this  county,"  replied 
the  watchman  confidentially ;  "  no  bugs  nor  nothin' —  man 
committed  suicide  here  'bout  a  week  ago  —  cut  his  throat 


266        THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

—  brain  had  blown  up  —  Dago  he  was.  If  " —  with  stately 
emphasis  — "  If  you  ain't  afeared  of  ghosts,  you  'd  better 
flop  right  in  here." 

"  Is  n't  there  any  mattress  for  the  bunk  ?  "  asked  Phil, 
determined  that  the  watchman  would  have  no  grounds  for 
supposing  that  the  ghost  of  an  insane  Dago  could  have  any 
effect  upon  his  choice  of  apartments. 

"  Well,  truth  to  tell,"  answered  the  watchman  with  a 
sedate  twinkle  in  his  eye,  "  we  're  just  a  wee  mite  short 
on  mattresses  at  this  season ;  but  if  you  bum  the  stable  boss 
to-morrow,  he  '11  probably  let  you  have  some  barley  bags 
and  hay." 

Phil  stepped  into  the  room  and  laid  his  blanket  upon 
the  bare  bunk;  the  watchman  seated  himself  in  the  door- 
way, and  proceeded  to  bolster  up  the  impression  which  had 
been  so  inadequately  received.  "  The  's  been  a  dozen  fel- 
lers refuse  this  room  already,"  he  said  somberly.  "  I  'm 
free  to  own  that  I  would  n't  want  to  sleep  here  myself  — 
not  that  I  believe  in  ghosts,  mind  you;  but  jest  cause  it 
would  be  lonesome,  count  o'  what  I  saw.  You  did  n't  see 
it,  so  the  chances  are  five  even,  that  you  '11  pound  your  ear 
like  a  top ;  but,  by  ginger  whizz,  I  can  see  the  feller  right 
now!  He  cut  his  throat  with  a  razor,  ya  see;  and  when  I 
arrived,  he  was  lyin'  right  there  inside  the  door  " —  rising, 
backing  away,  and  pointing  dramatically  at  a  dark  blot  on 
the  rough  boards  — "  lyin'  there,  but  not  lyin'  quiet,  not  by 
a  jugful.  He  was  a-floppin'  around  on  his  back  like  a  fish 
out  o'  water,  a-holdin'  on  to  his  cheeks  with  his  hands, 
while  the  blood  was  a-spoutin'  out  of  his  neck  in  little  jets 
like  a  fountain.  Gosh,  it  was  gruesome !  Git  down  here 
clost  an'  you  can  see  the  spot  where  the  puddle  o'  blood 
stood.  It 's  been  washed  an'  scraped,  but  the'  ain't  no 


AWIDEDETOUR  267 

way  to  remove  suicide  blood  until  the  soul  gets  peace,  is 
what  some  say,  an'  I  reckon  the 's  a  heap  o'  truth  in  it. 
His  windpipe  was  a-stickin'  out  through  a  gash  in  his 
throat,  an'  he  made  the  horridest  squawkin'  noise  you  ever 
heard ;  suthin'  like  this  — " 

The  watchman  had  gained  quite  a  reputation  for  his 
realistic  reproduction  of  the  last  sounds  of  the  departed; 
it  was  his  greatest  victory  in  the  field  of  art,  and  had  stim- 
ulated him  to  perfect  his  powers  of  expression.  The 
raucus  squawks,  the  aspirated  groans,  the  staring  eyeballs, 
the  lolling  tongue,  and  the  nervous  hands  which  seized  his 
own  cheeks,  all  contributed  to  an  ensemble  of  ghastly  vivid- 
ness. Phil  stepped  out-doors  and  drew  a  deep  breath,  and 
the  watchman,  noting  the  lines  of  horror  in  his  victim's 
face,  went  on  his  way  with  the  spiritual  uplift  of  one  who 
has  thoroughly  exploited  an  opportunity. 

After  the  watchman  had  retired,  Phil  returned  to  the 
bunk  and  sat  upon  it,  while  genuine  homesickness  clutched 
his  solar  plexus,  shutting  off  the  forces  of  digestion,  stop- 
ping all  the  peace-giving  functions  of  the  body,  and  ex- 
posing it  to  an  attack  of  bitter,  morbid  loneliness.  This 
is  homesickness,  and  it  is  not  a  joke;  and  neither  is  it  so 
common  as  many  believe.  Sometimes  it  kills  a  dog,  and 
sometimes  it  reforms  a  man;  but  it  is  one  of  the  gray 
angels,  and  not  to  be  lightly  called. 

Phil  possessed  a  strong  imagination  which  was  totally 
undisciplined,  and  the  watchman's  story  had  made  a  deep 
impression.  It  entered  his  being  and  found  companion- 
ship with  the  black-robed  memories  which  the  other  night- 
prowlers  had  left  with  him  as  they  candidly  discussed  the 
methods  and  the  ethics  of  resigning  life's  commission. 
Suicide  had  always  seemed  a  cowardly,  indefensible  act 


268        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

to  Phil,  until  lately;  but  now  he  was  beginning  to  look 
upon  it  from  a  new  angle:  if  man  possesses  free  will  at 
all,  why  not  the  right  to  choose  between  life  and  death? 
As  he  sat  alone,  without  even  a  candle  to  cheer  him,  the 
spirit  of  the  suicide  seemed  less  hostile  than  the  world  of 
living  men ;  but  he  was  not  a  physical  coward,  and  he  was 
thoroughly  weary,  so  he  soon  spread  his  blanket  and  after 
taking  off  his  outer  garments,  fell  asleep,  with  his  door 
standing  wide  open.  The  histrionic  watchman  visited  him 
several  times  during  the  night  and  was  humanly  disap- 
pointed to  find  his  slumber  profound  and  unbroken. 

After  breakfasting  next  morning  on  fat  pork,  raw  bread, 
a  strong,  greasy  paste,  arbitrarily  called  butter,  and  a 
dirty  liquid,  spoken  of  as  bootleg  and  used  as  a  substitute 
for  coffee,  he  was  set  to  work  upon  the  crusher.  The 
mere  toil  of  shoveling  would  have  been  too  severe  for  him, 
after  his  enervating  months  of  idleness ;  while  the  burning 
sun  and  the  stinging  dust  made  it  a  heart-breaking  job 
indeed.  At  noon,  he  ate  a  crust  of  bread  and  a  piece  of 
pie,  washing  them  down  with  the  morose  bootleg. 

After  this  simple  meal,  he  returned  to  his  labors  and,  in 
spite  of  his  blistering  hands  and  aching  back,  he  tried  to 
keep  pace  with  the  two  Spaniards  who  were  working  with 
him.  They  were  good-hearted  fellows  and  worked  with 
increased  rapidity,  in  order  that  he  might  have  time  to 
break  in  gradually;  but  Phil's  silly  vanity  prompted  him 
to  keep  pace  with  them,  for  he  felt  a  slight  contempt  for 
the  small,  dark  men,  which  he  did  not  entirely  conceal. 
Vanity  has  been  a  crown  for  the  race,  but  a  cross  for  the 
individual. 

That  night  he  was  too  tired  to  sleep.  It  is  a  customary 
thing  for  the  writer  of  fiction  to  send  his  hero  to  the  field 


A   WIDE    DETOUR  269 

of  applied  manual  labor,  to  have  him  cured  of  every  fault 
from  imperialism  to  dyspepsia;  but  that  night  Phil  could 
have  ably  presented  the  con  side  of  the  question.  He 
would  have  used  the  slang  phrase  of  the  term,  and  would 
have  pronounced  the  whole  theory  of  roughing  it  for  the 
development  of  manhood,  as  "  con  "  from  beginning  to  end. 

His  supper  had  consisted  of  evaporated  pears  which 
tasted  like  the  air  from  a  register,  and  two  bowls  of  the 
cup  that  jeers  but  does  not  stimulate.  It  was  impossible 
to  assume  a  position  which  did  not  torture  his  back,  that 
strong,  oft-tried  back  which  had  won  him  many  a  laurel 
on  the  athletic  field;  while  his  pride  moaned  piteously,  as 
he  compared  his  own  bulk  with  that  of  the  swarthy,  thin- 
limbed  Spaniards.  A  cool  breeze  sprang  up  toward  morn- 
ing, and  his  aching  consciousness  slipped  away  on  it;  but 
the  voyage  was  but  a  short  one,  rudely  brought  to  an  end 
by  the  hoarse  scoffing  of  the  rising-whistle.  Phil  had  at 
last  reached  the  level  where  human  actions  are  regulated 
by  steam,  and  those  who  live  on  this  level  gain  much  com- 
fort when  their  sensibilities  slough  off,  and  they  learn  to 
think  and  feel,  after  the  manner  of  cogs. 

The  superintendent  was  away  and  the  assistant  was  a 
man  of  much  earlier  date  in  the  world's  history.  He  would 
have  shone  with  a  brighter  luster  had  the  men  under  him 
been  wearing  iron  collars  about  their  necks.  He  was  a 
small-natured  man,  whose  peaked,  wizened  character  ex- 
pressed itself  in  a  perpetual  sneer.  He  had  formerly  been 
superintendent  of  a  small  gold  mine,  for  his  wife's  family 
was  rich  in  mines;  but  he  had  so  badly  botched  things, 
that  he  had  been  put  under  Blake  at  the  New  Hygia  — 
Blake  was  a  man.  Merton,  the  assistant,  was  a  sneaking, 
crafty  creature  who  could  not  tell  a  day's  work  from  an 


270       THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

hour's;  and  relied  upon  his  ability  to  surprise  the  men 
from  ambush.  His  shrunken  soul  gloated  over  the  pos- 
session of  a  pair  of  field  glasses,  through  which  he  would 
spy  upon  the  men  from  behind  a  clump  of  bushes,  and  if 
he  caught  them  idle,  he  would  bully  them  roundly  and 
dock  their  pay  on  the  rolls.  The  men  knew  his  past 
record,  his  parasitic  position,  and  his  puny  personality; 
and  they  called  him  Old  Sleuth  or  Uncle  Billy,  and  made 
him  appear  ridiculous  in  the  eyes  of  Blake  as  often  as 
possible,  which  was  not  infrequent.  The  man  who  toils 
with  his  hands,  occasionally  has  a  startling  sense  of  cor- 
rect valuation,  and  simple  sincerity  is  the  smoothest  road 
that  ever  was  traveled,  probably  because  it  is  not  used 
often  enough  to  be  worn  into  ruts. 

But  poor  old  Phil  learned  slowly.  In  pronouncing  the 
word  gentleman,  he  was  wont  to  accent  the  first  syllable 
and  slur  the  rest.  The  last  syllable  was  ample  for  that 
locality,  and  if  Phil  had  simply  given  one  of  his  old,  frank 
smiles,  and  thrown  himself  upon  the  mercy  of  his  fellow- 
workers,  they  would  have  fitted  him  into  his  environment 
with  rough  kindliness.  It  is  not  customary,  however,  for 
a  knight  to  throw  himself  upon  anyone's  mercy,  and  never 
forget  that  Philip  Lytton  was  a  knight  en  quest,  and 
bound  to  win  by  the  sword  or  to  ride  home  in  state  upon 
his  shield.  Logic  nor  advice  nor  kindly  sympathy  is  for 
such ;  but  even  a  coat  of  mail  will  not  shut  out  a  heartache, 
and  many  a  time  Phil  had  the  taste  of  tears  in  his  throat 
without  knowing  what  caused  its  strange  tightness. 

He  was  still  eager  to  fight ;  but  he  was  still  beaten  down 
by  enemies  whom  he  could  not  see ;  and  at  night  he  would 
creep  to  his  rough  bunk  to  roll  and  toss,  and  think  and 
plan,  only  a  lonely  waif,  in  the  world's  big,  gloomy  garret. 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-FOUR 

LAZY   BILL  ADVISES 

EVEN  in  the  old  days,  when  Chivalry  was  the  industry  of 
chief  importance,  and  therefore  thoroughly  braced  and 
bolstered  by  the  formal  tenets  of  a  complicated  ethical 
code,  the  knights,  even  after  adjusting  their  steel  crave- 
nettes  with  prayer  and  fasting,  experienced  considerable 
difficulty  in  ridding  themselves  of  hampering  feminine  in- 
fluence. 

They  would  sally  forth,  their  brows  glistening  in  the 
white  light  of  a  solemn  vow  to  perform  some  selfless  deed 
of  worship,  their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  passionless  blue 
above  them,  and  their  hearts  filled  with  the  strange,  sweet 
strains  of  peace;  but  if  there  were  bookmakers  in  those 
days,  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  the  juiciest  odds  were  offered 
on  the  bet  that  the  first  adventure  Sir  Goodif  Possible 
would  meet,  would  have  a  woman's  subtile  charm  as  its 
basic  principle. 

The  typical  knight  was  a  young  man  of  sound  physique 
which  his  athletic,  outdoor  life  kept  at  a  high  degree  of 
efficiency,  and  when  one  of  these  professes  to  be  a  pro- 
found woman-hater,  it  is  permissible  to  turn  the  head 
slightly,  and  wink  the  eye  farthest  from  the  deponent. 
When  Sir  Goodif  would  return  from  his  journey  with 
several  new  dents  in  his  outer  garments,  and  several  new 
scars  in  his  cuticle,  he  would  solemnly  spin  a  gorgeous 

271 


272        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

tale  dealing  with  the  intimate  relations  he  had  established 
with  iron-clad  dragons,  ferocious  giants,  and  blood-thirsty 
ogres,  since  deceased;  but  he  would  lightly  skip  any  men- 
tion of  the  opposite  sex,  save  to  recount  incidentally  the 
names  of  a  few  high-born  damsels  whom  he  had  rescued, 
and  restored,  with  promptness  and  dispatch,  to  the  peace  of 
their  own  family  circles. 

This  was  before  the  time  that  what  is  technically  known 
as  the  fish  story,  had  come  into  vogue;  but  the  world  has 
always  been  cursed  with  skeptics,  and  some  there  were 
even  then  who  made  it  their  business  to  supply  the  pic- 
turesque portions  of  these  interesting  narratives,  which 
the  good  knights  themselves  had  carefully  expurgated ;  and 
so  we  of  to-day  have  reason  to  believe  that  quests,  like 
camp-meetings,  had  their  esoteric  as  well  as  their  ecumen- 
ical sides. 

In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  foregoing  preamble  has 
wantonly  violated  several  rigid  rules  of  construction,  it  is 
no  more  than  is  due  the  introduction  of  so  distinctive  and 
distinguished  a  character  as  the  Lady  Barber  of  New 
Hygia.  The  Lady  Barber  was  the  lawfully  wedded  wife 
of  a  male  person  with  a  Roman  nose  and  a  job  as  stable- 
man. The  stableman  looked  like  a  sure  enough  hero;  but 
the  thoughts  which  spilled  from  him  were  on  the  intel- 
lectual level  of  a  child's  primer,  and  as  chastely  moral  as 
the  conversation  at  an  Indian  love-dance.  The  high, 
serene  character  of  the  Lady  Barber  found  a  beautiful 
expression  in  her  ability  to  conceal  the  contempt  she  felt 
for  the  husband  whom  Fate  had  fastened  upon  her,  and 
the  tact  with  which  she  prevented  him  from  exaggerating 
the  folly  which  Nature  had  fastened  upon  him.  Her  own 
simple  life  was  an  unanswerable  argument  in  favor  of 


LAZY    BILL   ADVISES  273 

woman  suffrage  and  nine  other  social  reforms  which  we 
have  not  the  time  to  specify  at  this  writing.  She  was  no 
longer  beautiful,  but  no  man  who  looked  into  her  eyes 
would  ever  thereafter  believe  this,  in  spite  of  all  the  artis- 
tic testimony  in  the  world;  for  her  eyes  were  the  eyes  of 
a  woman  who  has  been  forced  to  stand  upon  her  own  ideals 
in  order  to  reach  the  knowledge  which  passeth  all  under- 
standing. 

Children  had  been  denied  her,  which,  considering  the 
risk  they  would  have  run  of  having  inherited  some  of  her 
husband's  disposition,  was  not  altogether  a  bad  thing  for 
the  human  race;  but  the  great,  unquenchable  mother-spirit 
of  her  was  thus  forced  to  find  every  remaining  outlet,  and 
this  was  an  unmixed  blessing  to  the  male  babies  of  mature 
years  who  had  drifted  into  that  locality.  She  mothered 
them  all,  and  only  those  who  have  dwelt  in  a  men's  camp 
will  be  able  to  form  any  conception  of  what  a  noble  task 
for  love  this  was. 

The  dust  from  cinnabar  ore  has  an  evil  tendency  to 
penetrate  the  skin  with  an  itchy  irritation  most  discom- 
forting, and  the  men  used  to  line  up  in  front  of  her  rude 
shop  to  have  their  faces  cleaned,  not  knowing  that  in  a 
large  majority  of  cases,  she  cleaned  their  soiled  little  souls 
at  the  same  time.  At  all  times,  the  rubbing  of  soft, 
foamy  lather  into  obstructed  pores  is  a  grateful  process ; 
but  as  a  general  rule  the  animal  side  of  a  male  human  is 
the  one  most  likely  to  respond  to  gentle  treatment,  and 
when  this  happened  the  Lady  Barber,  who  accepted  life 
as  it  really  was,  would  use  the  palm  of  her  strong  hand 
as  first  aid  to  the  uncivilized,  and  go  on  with  her  task,  as 
unconcerned  as  though  bathing  her  own  child  in  her  own 
nursery.  A  natural  woman  she  was,  filled  with  charm  but 


274        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

free  from  coquetry ;  and  every  man  who  became  her  steady 
customer  received  a  post  graduate  course  in  the  difficult 
art  of  thinking  decently,  which  is  quite  a  necessary  adjunct 
to  the  blessing  of  liberty. 

Phil  had  his  own  razor;  but  letting  his  beard  grow  was 
naturally  the  first  thought  that  occurred  to  him  after  hav- 
ing appraised  the  social  requirements  of  the  New  Hygia 
Mining  Camp.  Very  few  beards  were  worn  there,  and 
these  by  the  mechanics,  but  shaving  was  a  bother,  so  he 
gave  up  shaving  and  had  just  that  much  more  time  to  con- 
template his  own  peculiar  troubles. 

By  the  time  his  beard  had  attained  the  first  ragged  week 
of  its  growth,  his  skin  felt  like  the  door  mat  in  front  of 
a  Sunday  School.  A  full  beard,  neatly  laid  on  after  the 
manner  of  shingles,  may,  for  purposes  of  argument,  be 
regarded  as  a  measure  of  protection;  but  a  beard  during 
the  earlier  stages  of  construction  is  an  unmixed  horror, 
and  no  pessimistic  cynic  has  yet  been  able  to  find  a  kind 
word  to  say  for  one.  During  odd  moments  of  abstrac- 
tion, Phil  busied  himself  in  scratching  the  cinnabar  dust 
still  deeper  into  his  outer  layer,  and  it  might  be  said 
in  passing  that  Phil's  fingernails  had  also  seen  better 
days. 

By  this  time,  Phil's  state  of  being  would  have  filled  his 
bitterest  enemy  with  a  deep  and  abiding  content.  He  had 
been  out  of  condition  on  his  arrival;  the  work  had  been 
of  straining  and  debasing  character;  the  food  had  filled 
him  with  a  repulsion  which  he  could  not  throw  off,  and 
the  solemn  idiocy  which  prompted  him  to  isolate  himself 
and  brood  over  his  afflictions,  had  put  the  cap  upon  what 
was  really  a  monument  to  the  late  Philip  Lytton.  His 
eyes  looked  from  their  haggard  depths  like  twin  ghosts 


LAZY    BILL   ADVISES  275 

haunting  a  ruin,  and  sorrowing  for  the  glad  hours  of  its 
former  greatness. 

It  was  Lazy  Bill  who  advised  him  to  shave.  Lazy  Bill 
was  a  red  haired  scamp  who  had  found  the  world  entirely 
to  his  liking,  and  who  had  utterly  refused  to  take  it 
seriously.  He  was  tall  and  slender,  and  everlastingly  and 
always  self-possessed.  If  the  chronology  of  birthdays 
can  be  associated  with  his  mischievous  contempt  of  the 
ways  and  demeanor  of  maturity,  he  was  thirty  years  old; 
but  the  viewpoint  of  twenty  had  suited  him  so  exactly, 
that  he  had  entrenched  himself  there  and  defied  Time  and 
his  legions  to  dislodge  him.  He  accepted  William  Merton, 
the  assistant  superintendent,  as  a  gift  of  the  gods,  and 
treated  him  with  all  the  enthusiastic  disrespect  which  he 
had  formerly  showered  upon  a  college  faculty;  for  Lazy 
Bill  was  a  college  man.  He  had  not  graduated  from 
college;  but  he  had  attended  an  Indiana  university  as  long 
as  the  nerves  of  the  faculty  could  stand  the  strain,  and  he 
possessed  all  the  graces  of  a  fraternity  education. 

Lazy  Bill  was  friendly,  not  with  the  shy  diffi- 
dence which  awaits  a  few  kind  words  and  a  pleasant  smile. 
Not  at  all;  his  friendliness  was  wont  to  tackle  below  the 
knees  and  hold  his  man  down  until  there  was  nothing  be- 
tween them  except  a  few  irrevocable  items,  such  as  racial 
prejudices,  conflicting  codes,  and  ingrained  tastes.  He 
scattered  entertainment,  adverse  criticism,  and  sober  ad- 
vice with  the  free  hand  and  the  untroubled  conscience  of 
a  reigning  monarch,  and  one  could  always  tell  where  he 
was  spending  the  evening,  because  his  group  would  be 
the  noisiest  one  in  camp.  His  title  had  not  been  lightly 
won,  nor  was  it  lightly  worn.  His  laziness  was  not  in 
the  least  a  passive  failing;  it  demonstrated  continuity  of 


276        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

purpose  which,  in  any  worthy  cause,  would  have  won  him 
the  respect  of  the  respectable,  whereas  exercised  in  the 
direction  which  he  had  chosen,  it  merely  won  him  the  ad- 
miration of  the  undesirable.  He  would  scheme  and  plan, 
and  draw  upon  his  fund  of  surplus  energy,  in  order  to 
avoid  doing  the  work  he  was  supposed  to  do,  in  so  fla- 
grant a  manner  that  it  would  arouse  the  resentment  of  the 
assistant  superintendent. 

Phil's  beard  was  a  week  old  before  Lazy  Bill  found 
leisure  to  prove  the  correctness  of  the  report  which  had 
been  given  him  concerning  the  new  arrival.  Phil  was 
sitting  in  his  own  doorway  smoking  a  corncob  pipe  in 
gloomy  silence  when  Bill  arrived  to  an  invigorating  march- 
ing tune  which  he  whistled  with  unusual  skill. 

"  What  can  you  furnish  for  me  to  sit  on  ?  "  asked  Bill, 
stopping  his  tune  and  his  steps  directly  in  front  of  Phil. 

"  There  is  n't  a  thing  in  this  hole  of  a  place  to  sit  on, 
unless  you  wish  to  go  inside  and  sit  on  the  bunk,"  replied 
Phil  with  reserve.  He  was  in  his  worst  mood. 

"  I  'd  sooner  go  into  a  furnace  and  sit  on  a  red  hot  coal," 
responded  Bill.  "  Why  don't  you  make  yourself  some 
stools?  Come  over  to  my  dump  some  evening,  and  let 
me  show  you  how  to  grow  old  gracefully.  I  tell  you  what 
you  need:  you  need  a  shave,  a  shampoo,  a  couple  of  large 
pills,  and  some  sort  of  excitement,  to  make  you  forget 
yourself.  Start  in  with  the  shave ;  I  never  saw  a  human 
who  needed  one  worse." 

Phil  considered  Bill  to  be  lacking  in  dignity  and  entirely 
too  familiar  upon  short  acquaintance.  This  proves  how 
thoroughly  out  of  condition  Phil  was.  "  I  do  not  see  any 
good  in  shaving  up  here  where  there  is  no  place  to  go, 
and  no  one  to  see,"  he  answered. 


LAZY    BILL   ADVISES  277 

"  So  you  are  one  of  them,  huh  ? "  commented  Bill. 
"  You  regard  this  delightful  community  as  a  penal  camp, 
and  are  trying  to  bear  your  afflictions  with  noble  forti- 
tude. Well,  who  sentenced  you  to  come  here,  and  how 
long  is  your  term?" 

"  I  came  here  because  I  wanted  work." 

"  Lucky  man !  "  exclaimed  Bill.  "  You  have  found  your 
chief  desire.  There  is  lots  of  it  here,  and  it  is  not  coy 
and  retiring,  either.  Now,  I  came  here  because  I  did 
not  want  work;  and  I  am  as  busy  as  a  hen  in  a  garden, 
trying  to  dodge  it.  Wait  until  I  go  swipe  a  stool;  I  want 
to  talk  with  you,  and  I  'm  afraid  to  stand  lest  I  grow 
taller." 

He  returned  in  a  few  moments,  and  examined  Phil 
critically  before  seating  himself  upon  the  backed  chair 
which  had  been  made  of  a  box  and  a  board.  "  You  have 
not  moved  since  I  was  here,"  he  said  accusingly.  "  You 
have  not  swung  your  foot  or  whistled  or  flipped  a  stone 
—  you  have  not  done  a  single  thing  but  sit  there  and  settle 
down  on  yourself  like  a  fog.  This  is  no  way  to  act.  If 
you  can't  stand  the  pricks  and  arrows  of  outrageous  for- 
tune, why  don't  you  return,  confess  your  sins,  and  throw 
yourself  on  the  mercy  of  the  court?  The  chances  are  that 
after  you  have  been  roasted  to  a  turn,  they  will  reinstate 
you  in  your  old  familiar  niche,  slaughter  the  fatted  calf, 
and  drape  a  purple  robe  about  you.  You  are  in  a  deplor- 
able condition.  I  am  a  scientist  and  I  can  tell  exactly 
what  you  used  to  be,  just  in  the  same  way  that  a  biology 
shark  could  reconstruct  a  dinosauros  out  of  a  fossil  foot- 
print; but  I  never  could  understand  the  philosophy  of  sit- 
ting in  a  losing  game,  unless  one  enjoyed  playing  that  par- 
ticular game.  What  ?  " 


278        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  Might  as  well  be  here  as  anywhere,"  grumbled  Phil. 
"  I  'm  sick  of  it  all." 

"If  it  were  feasible  to  interview  all,"  rejoined  Bill, 
"  we  'd  probably  find  that  the  feeling  was  mutual.  It 's 
all  right  for  a  sea  turtle  to  remain  on  his  back  after  being 
thrown  there,  because  that  is  due  to  an  architectural  de- 
fect ;  but  when  a  human  emulates  this  worthy  creature,  his 
attention  should  be  directed  to  the  flea  whose  energetic 
ambition  enables  him  to  triumph  over  an  environment 
which  at  first  sight  appears  to  be  hopelessly  depressing. 
What  just  grounds  have  you  for  refusing  to  be  shaved?" 

"  I  don't  see  why  it  is  necessary  for  me  to  have  any 
grounds  except  a  lack  of  desire,"  answered  Phil,  smiling 
in  spite  of  himself,  but  still  holding  aloof. 

"  Where  is  your  tobacco  ? "  asked  Bill ;  accepted  the 
proffered  sack  and,  as  he  filled  his  pipe,  continued :  "  It 
is  a  bad  plan  to  smoke  amidst  the  fumes  of  mercury,  and 
you  are  foolish  to  do  it,  not  only  for  your  own  sake,  but 
also  because  you  set  temptation  in  the  path  of  your  fel- 
lows. If  you  are  a  hardened  wretch  and  cannot  live  with- 
out tobacco,  chew  it,  and  it  will  take  you  a  few  days  longer 
to  be  salivated.  Getting  shaved,  however,  is  an  important 
matter.  The  longer  you  put  it  off  the  harder  it  will  be; 
and  you  will  find  a  hair  shirt  a  more  agreeable  penance 
on  this  job  than  a  hairy  skin,  if  that  is  your  motive.  The 
Lady  Barber  will  shave  you  for  fifteen  cents,  and  if  you 
are  cash  shortened,  she  will  hang  up  your  name  until  pay- 
day." 

"  Are  you  one  of  her  agents  ?  "  asked  Phil  with  the  per- 
verted wit  of  a  spoiled  child. 

Phil's  remark  continued  to  repeat  itself  in  the  mind  of 
its  author,  while  Lazy  Bill  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and 


LAZY    BILL   ADVISES  279 

smoked  in  placid  silence.  It  was  not  a  remark  to  improve 
with  repetition. 

"  There,  I  have  counted  a  hundred,"  said  Bill  at  last, 
"  and  now  I  forgive  you  freely.  I  am  not  one  of  her 
agents ;  but  I  am  one  of  her  admirers.  In  this  case,  how- 
ever, I  was  thinking  only  of  you.  You  would  feel  heaps 
better  after  a  shave,  old  man,  and  I  still  urge  you  to  get 
one.  I  '11  tell  you  one  other  tip,  which  you  can  reflect  on 
at  leisure.  In  absolute  sincerity,  I  advise  you  to  go  to 
the  company  store  —  which  is  a  robbing  scheme  on  the 
part  of  the  company,  but  where  your  credit  is  good  — 
and  buy  all  the  molasses  candy  you  can  eat  at  one  time. 
Gorge  yourself  on  it,  eat  it  until  you  feel  sticky  all  the 
way  through,  and  it  will  do  you  good.  This  and  a  shave 
will  arouse  you  to  a  new  zest  for  life;  but  until  you  take 
a  little  more  interest  in  your  own  welfare,  I  shall  be  too 
busy  to  bother  with  you.  Any  time  I  can  help  you  in 
any  way,  wave  me  a  wiggle  and  I  am  at  your  service ;  but 
my  private  opinion  is,  that  you  are  your  own  worst 
enemy,  and  will  not  be  happy  until  you  desert  your- 
self for  more  congenial  company.  Good  night." 

Lazy  Bill  floated  over  to  the  Mexican  contingent,  took 
the  first  guitar  he  saw,  and  proceeded  to  sing,  and  banter, 
his  hosts,  until  it  was  cool  enough  to  sleep. 

Phil  was  so  heartily  ashamed  of  his  scurvy  reception  of 
what  he  afterward  saw  had  been  a  friendly  call,  that  be- 
fore he  fell  asleep,  he  resolved  to  buy  the  candy  and  the 
shave,  as  the  true  amende  honorable. 

The  theatric  watchman  had  taken  a  deep  interest  in 
Phil,  and  could  generally  tell  to  the  minute  the  exact  in- 
stant at  which  he  had  fallen  asleep.  He  had  predicted  that 
something  dire  would  happen  to  the  man  who  attempted  to 


280        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

make  use  of  that  room  before  its  late  occupant  had  given 
up  full  possession;  and  Phil's  restlessness  during  the  night, 
and  steadily  growing  haggardness  had  been  accepted  by  him 
as  a  complete  vindication  of  his  powers  of  prophecy. 

It  was  shortly  after  two  that  Phil  had  fallen  into  a 
troubled  doze;  and  a  few  moments  later  the  watchman 
stepped  from  the  deep  shadow  at  the  end  of  the  shack  and 
stood  listening  at  the  open  door.  He  gave  an  involuntary 
shudder  when  Phil  began  to  mutter  incoherently. 

"  I  '11  be  shaved,  I  '11  be  shaved,"  said  Phil  presently,  in 
clear  tones  which  fell  with  startling  distinctness  upon  the 
surrounding  stillness. 

"  Ah-ha,"  said  the  watchman  to  himself  as  he  stole  away 
with  several  cautious  glances  over  his  shoulder,  "  this  is 
the  way  ghosts  work,  is  it?  That  blame  viper  of  a  Dago 
is  back  there  suggestin'  that  this  young  buck  cut  his  throat 
the  same  as  he  did;  and  the  poor  devil  thinks  that  it  is 
nothin'  but  a  shave  he  means.  Well,  I  ain't  no  regular 
bettin'  man ;  but  I  'm  goin'  to  place  a  piece  o'  money  on 
the  chance  that  another  throat  gets  cut  in  that  same  room, 
before  another  new  moon  gets  old.  And  some  there  is, 
as  sez  there  ain't  no  bad  luck  sleepin'  in  a  haunted  room." 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-FIVE 

A   STRICTLY   NEW   LADY 

PHIL  did  not  even  enter  the  dining-room  the  next  even- 
ing. As  soon  as  he  stopped  work,  through  the  permission 
granted  by  the  six  o'clock  whistle,  he  hurried  to  the  com- 
pany store  and  purchased  five  pounds  of  molasses  candy, 
which  he  started  to  eat  as  soon  as  he  left  the  store.  It 
tasted  exactly  as  its  appearance  led  him  to  believe  it  would, 
thus  establishing  a  new  record  at  the  Camp.  He  ate  it 
rapidly,  and  he  continued  to  eat,  and  drink  water,  until 
he  felt  distended  to  the  last  fraction;  and  then  he  hurried 
around  to  the  shop  of  the  Lady  Barber. 

He  felt  strangely  shy  as  he  entered,  and  was  soberly 
sorry  that  he  had  not  asked  his  eccentric  visitor  of  the 
preceding  night  what  system  of  etiquette  was  in  vogue  in 
a  Lady  Barber's  shop.  The  Barbaress  was  in  the  habit 
of  eating  an  early  supper  herself,  and  leaving  that  of  her 
lord  and  master  ready  to  be  placed  upon  the  table  at  his 
own  convenience. 

Phil  opened  the  screen  door  and  saw  her  sitting  near 
the  side  window,  reading  a  week-old  paper.  At  his  step 
she  looked  up  pleasantly.  She  had  a  wholesome  face,  a 
thoroughly  wholesome  face;  and  yet  there  was  something 
back  of  it.  He  instantly  recalled  the  peculiar  effect  the 
Mona  Lisa  had  had  upon  him,  but  when  he  compared  the 
two  faces  there  was  no  resemblance.  There  was  a  secret 

281 


282        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

gloating  in  the  face  of  Da  Vinci's  woman,  a  secret  sorrow 
in  the  face  of  the  living  woman  before  him,  and  yet  some- 
thing told  him  that  these  two,  separated  by  the  years,  by 
the  waves  of  a  great  ocean,  and  by  social  barriers,  had 
each  looked  unflinchingly  into  the  secret  chamber  of  life, 
and  had  each  caught  much  the  same  vision. 

"  Could  you  —  could  I  be  shaved  here  ?  "  faltered  Phil. 

The  woman  looked  at  him  with  a  smile.  "  Not  pain- 
lessly, nor  hurriedly,"  she  replied ;  "  but  I  think  that  it 
can  be  done,  if  you  have  sufficient  patience." 

Phil  seated  himself  with  a  sigh  of  content.  The  relax- 
ing quality  of  the  candy  was  resting  his  taut  nerves,  and  the 
comfortable  lines  of  the  homemade  chair  eased  the  muscles 
of  his  back. 

"  Have  n't  been  here  long,  have  you  ?  "  asked  the  Lady 
Barber. 

"  Eight  centuries,"  replied  Phil. 

A  twinkle  came  to  the  woman's  eyes.  "Were  you  clean- 
shaven when  you  came  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  My  memory  gave  out  three  centuries  ago ;  but  as  I 
dimly  recollect  it,  I  possessed  many  of  the  normally  human 
qualities  upon  my  arrival,  and  was,  therefore,  in  all  likeli- 
hood, clean-shaven,"  replied  Phil,  a  warm  delight  stealing 
over  him.  It  was  like  coming  through  a  smoke-choked 
hall  into  the  fresh  air,  to  give  response  to  the  human  touch 
again.  Like  many  another  man  who  does  not  know  it, 
Phil  was  unable  to  exist  without  a  woman's  influence. 
When  alone,  he  drooped  like  a  flower  in  the  dark;  when 
brought  into  the  rays  of  another  woman,  he  quickly  re- 
vived, and  in  reviving,  his  old  love  for  Edith  filled  out  into 
a  blossom  again.  As  the  Lady  Barber  began  to  rub  the 
lather  into  his  beard,  Phil  closed  his  eyes  and  thought  of 


A    STRICTLY    NEW   LADY      283 

Edith.  It  was  a  most  incongruous  thought,  for  Edith 
would  as  soon  have  thought  of  bathing  a  hippopotamus,  as 
shaving  a  man;  but  incongruity,  also,  has  the  courage  to 
rush  in  where  logic  fears  to  tread. 

Softening  a  week-old  beard,  thoroughly  encrusted  with 
cinnabar  dust,  is  not  an  instantaneous  process  when  one 
has  a  tender  regard  for  one's  razor,  and  the  Lady  Barber 
soaked  and  rubbed  away  busily  while  Phil's  thoughts 
flitted  from  Edith  to  Miriam.  Herbert  Spencer  tried  to 
make  out  that  the  human  being  was  an  empire;  but  he 
missed  several  thousand  centuries  of  making  good.  A 
human  being  is  a  Democracy,  a  perfect  Democracy  with 
the  Initiative  and  Referendum  so  absolutely  accepted  that 
they  are  no  longer  intrusive  with  the  exaggerated  im- 
portance of  an  experiment. 

One  may  be  filled  with  an  earnest  desire  to  master 
pragmaticism ;  but  if  he  happen  to  strike  his  ankle  upon 
the  sharp  end  of  a  rocker,  the  ankle  initiates  a  demand  for 
the  entire  resources  of  the  body,  and  the  body  immediately 
votes  as  much  of  the  surplus  to  the  imperative  needs  of 
the  ankle  as  can  be  spared  from  the  constant  requirements 
of  the  vital  organs.  This  is  Democracy.  If  the  body 
were  a  Republic,  the  ankle  would  have  to  hold  an  election, 
send  a  delegate,  who  might  be  bribed  to  vote  the  surplus 
to  the  use  of  the  alchoholic  appetite;  if  it  were  an  Em- 
pire, it  would  have  an  iron  band  put  about  the  ankle  to 
prevent  its  clamor  from  irritating  the  more  imposing  mem- 
bers of  the  body. 

Phil  wished  his  thoughts  to  turn  ever  toward  Edith; 
they  veered  about  to  Miriam  in  spite  of  him;  and  as  the 
Lady  Barber  continued  to  rub  the  lather  into  his  skin,  her 
light,  skillful  touch  began  to  evince  some  of  the  qualities 


284        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

of  a  caress.  His  eyes  looked  into  her  face  and  found  it 
attractive,  and  presently  her  eyes  met  his  with  the  pleas- 
ant shock  of  personal  contact.  She  found  the  eyes  look- 
ing into  hers  to  be  the  eyes  of  a  boy,  and  continued  to 
look  into  them  with  an  encouraging  smile. 

"  How  on  earth  did  you  happen  to  float  to  New  Hygia  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  There  are  causes,  but  not  reasons  for  floating,"  an- 
swered Phil. 

The  woman  thought  over  this  for  a  moment.  She  had 
become  very  fond  of  Lazy  Bill  because  he  had  furnished 
her  starving  mind  with  much  food  for  thought,  and  now 
she  rejoiced  in  Phil,  for  the  same  reason.  Phil  saw  the 
gleam  of  joy,  and,  snob  that  he  was,  he  misinterpreted  it. 

"  Causes  but  not  reasons,"  repeated  the  woman.  "  I 
guess  that  pretty  much  tells  the  whole  story  of  life,  does  n't 
it?" 

"  No,"  replied  Phil,  who  was  by  now  aroused  to  the 
pleasure  of  mental  exertion,  "  it  is  merely  the  basic  plot 
of  life;  the  story  of  it  is  not  nearly  so  simple." 

"I  can  also  see  the  truth  of  that,"  responded  the  Lady 
Barber,  who  had  the  gift,  rare  in  a  woman,  of  arguing 
for  the  solution  of  a  question  rather  than  for  the  sake  of 
her  own  vanity.  "  I  live  much  like  a  shipwrecked  sailor 
on  a  tiny  island;  but  I  have  lots  of  time  for  thinking,  and 
it  is  surprising  how  many  queer  bits  of  life  are  thrown  up 
on  the  beach  of  my  little  island.  Where  did  you  use  to 
live?" 

"  New  York,"  replied  Phil,  with  that  inexplainable  pride 
which  a  New  Yorker,  no  matter  how  colossal  his  failure 
or  miserable  his  lot  in  that  maelstrom,  always  manages  to 
instill  into  his  answer  to  this  question. 


A    STRICTLY    NEW   LADY      285 

"  I  have  never  been  out  of  California,"  she  rejoined  with 
simple  humility. 

"  You  would  find  New  York  to  be  quite  a  change,"  said 
Phil  loftily. 

"  I  have  not  found  the  people  from  there  so  very  dif- 
ferent," she  said,  stropping  her  razor.  "  All  people  are 
quite  different,  and  all  people  are  very  much  alike.  I  doubt 
if  anyone  from  Chicago  had  seen  you  come  into  my  shop, 
they  would  have  known  that  you  were  a  New  Yorker." 

"  Did  nothing  suggest  to  you  that  I  was  different  from 
your  ordinary  customers  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  admitted ;  "  your  talk  is  quite  different. 
I  feed  ideas  to  most  of  my  customers;  you  have  fed  ideas 
to  me ;  but  I  have  read  novels  of  New  York  people,  and 
I  seem  able  to  feel  their  reasons  for  doing  the  things  they 
do,  just  as  easily  as  I  feel  the  reasons  of  the  people  I  used 
to  know  when  I  was  a  girl." 

"  Did  you  live  in  a  city,  or  in  the  country  ?  "  asked  Phil. 

The  woman  closed  her  eyes  for  a  moment,  and  when  she 
opened  them,  they  held  the  far  away  look  of  a  yearning 
memory.  "  I  lived  in  the  hills,"  she  said,  "  in  sight  of  old 
Shasta.  There  seems  to  be  plenty  of  mountains  around 
here ;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  I  lost  all  my  girlhood  dreams, 
when  I  lost  sight  of  old  Shasta." 

"  There  must  be  a  wonderful  fascination  in  spending 
one's  childhood  in  the  mountains,"  said  Phil  thoughtfully. 
"  You  remind  me  of  a  girl  I  met  in  San  Francisco." 

"  What  kind  of  a  girl  was  she  ?  " 

"  A  mighty  fine  kind  of  a  girl.  Her  name  was  Jennie, 
and  she  had  the  most  wonderful  golden  hair  I  ever  saw." 

A  quick  change  came  to  the  woman's  face:  at  first  she 
seemed  about  to  ask  a  frank  question,  and  then  she  fell  to 


286        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

stropping  the  razor,  which  seemed  to  demand  her  entire 
attention.  "  What  was  her  other  name  ?  "  she  asked.  "  I 
like  to  know  all  the  particulars ;  I  hear  so  little  up  here." 

"  I  do  not  know  what  her  other  name  was,"  replied 
Phil. 

The  woman  now  fell  to  shaving  him  rapidly  and  skill- 
fully. "What  was  your  business  in  San  Francisco?"  she 
asked. 

"  I  made  beds,"  replied  Phil  gravely. 

The  woman  looked  at  his  hands.  They  plainly  told  a  tale 
of  having  been  recently  thrust  into  unaccustomed  labor  in  a 
rude  and  painful  manner.  She  thought  that  Phil  meant  that 
he  had  been  a  wood  or  brass  worker,  and  she  also  thought 
that  he  was  lying. 

The  shop  was  beginning  to  fill  with  her  other  customers ; 
and  with  a  little  catchy  sigh,  she  resumed  her  task,  and  fin- 
ished Phil  wkhout  further  conversation.  "  I  hope  you  '11 
call  again,"  she  said. 

Phil  felt  of  his  clean,  smooth  chin.  "  I  certainly  shall," 
he  replied ;  "  but  I  '11  have  to  ask  you  to  charge  this  until 
payday." 

"Who  to?" 

"  Lenord  Latham." 

"  All  right,"  she  replied.     "  Next." 

That  night  Phil  took  a  long  walk,  and  enjoyed  a  sound 
sleep. 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-SIX 

A   HARD   FALL 

THE  rat-wisdom  of  the  stableman  was  fully  aware  of 
the  peculiar  effect  his  wife's  touch  had  upon  the  men  she 
shaved.  He  was  also  perfectly  aware  that  it  was  self- 
respect,  and  not  love  for  himself,  which  lifted  her  above 
any  evil  thoughts  which  might  arise  in  the  minds  of  her 
customers.  Knowing  all  these  things,  it  amused  the  sta- 
bleman to  suggest  craftily  false  hopes  to  the  new  arrivals, 
and  upon  the  evening  following  Phil's  first  shave  he  care- 
lessly strolled  by  Phil's  room  and  paused  for  a  bit  of  con- 
versation. 

"Ever  been  bothered  by  the  ghost?"  he  asked. 

"  Not  yet,"  replied  Phil. 

"  The  watchman  believes  that  this  room  is  haunted,  and 
he  is  trying  to  get  a  bet  that  you  will  meet  a  violent  end  if 
you  live  in  it  a  month." 

"  I  would  n't  mind  taking  a  little  of  that  bet  myself," 
rejoined  Phil.  He  disliked  the  stableman,  and  yet  it  would 
have  been  hard  for  him  to  have  analyzed  his  dislike. 

"  Well,  a  man's  death  is  less  important  than  his  life,  any 
way,"  said  the  stableman,  sighing  as  a  man  does  when  he 
wishes  it  known  that  there  is  something  sad  back  of  his 
remark.  "  It 's  his  life  that  counts,  and  most  of  us  find 
enough  trouble  here  not  to  care  much  how  we  escape  it." 

"Is  that  so?"  asked  Phil,  coldly. 

287 


288        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  You  bet  it 's  so.  I  would  n't  shed  a  tear  if  I  knew  I 
was  going  to  be  shot  through  the  heart  before  morning." 

"  Neither  would  I,"  said  Phil  enigmatically. 

"  What  you  got  to  trouble  you  ?  "  asked  the  man.  "  You 
ain't  married,  are  you  ?  " 

"No,  are  you?"  asked  Phil. 

"  Yes,  I  'm  sorry  to  say,  I  am.  My  wife  is  the  barber. 
I  don't  want  her  to  do  it ;  it  gives  us  both  a  bad  name ;  but 
I  can't  do  anything  with  her." 

Phil  looked  at  his  guest  with  new  interest.  And  so  this 
man,  with  sham  and  pretence  written  all  over  him,  was  the 
husband  of  that  remarkable  woman  who  had  shaved  him 
back  into  something  like  a  normal  frame  of  mind.  "  Oh, 
is  she  your  wife  ?  "  he  asked,  unconsciously  accenting  the 
possessive. 

"  According  to  law,"  answered  the  man,  "  but  we  don't 
get  along  very  well.  I  don't  know  a  thing  against  her  for 
certain,  but  I  don't  trust  her.  Not  that  I  'd  care  a  hang 
what  she  did  now;  for  when  a  man  loses  his  trust  in  a 
woman,  he  can't  care  for  her  any  more." 

"  I  suppose  that  is  so,"  agreed  Phil,  sarcastically.  "  It 
seems  to  me  that  a  man  ought  to  be  granted  a  divorce  for 
losing  his  trust  in  his  wife." 

"  Yes,"  chimed  the  stableman ;  "  but  he  can't  get  one. 
She  's  made  me  jealous  often  enough ;  but  she  never  gets 
caught  in  anything  which  would  give  me  a  cinch  on  her. 
That 's  all  I  'm  waitin'  for.  I  would  n't  bear  no  malice 
again  the  man  —  fact  is,  I  'd  feel  friendly  toward  him,  be- 
cause he  'd  be  the  means  of  f reein'  me  from  her ;  but  as 
long  as  she  's  smooth  enough  to  fool  me,  why,  I  '11  have  to 
live  with  her." 

"  Well,  she  does  not  cost  you  much,"  said  Phil. 


A    HARD    FALL  289 

"  No,"  said  the  man.  "  I  suppose  by  rights,  I  ought  to 
collect  what  she  earns,  but  I  ain't  mean  natured  enough." 

"  No,  your  best  plan  is  to  let  her  keep  it,"  said  Phil,  posi- 
tive that  the  creature  before  him  was  a  charity  boarder  on 
his  wife's  bounty.  "  She  will  probably  elope  some  day, 
and  this  will  be  playing  right  into  your  hands." 

The  stableman  looked  intently  at  Phil,  who  was  gazing 
calmly  in  the  direction  of  the  furnace,  where  the  black 
smoke  was  rising  straight  into  the  air  in  the  vain  search 
for  a  breeze  to  waft  it  away.  "  Well,  I  guess  I  '11  have 
to  be  going,"  he  said,  starting  on.  The  stableman  was  not 
quite  at  ease.  There  was  something  in  Phil's  eyes  which 
suggested  that  under  certain  conditions,  he,  himself,  would 
be  quite  capable  of  an  elopement;  and  the  stableman  was 
not  at  all  desirous  of  losing  his  chief  source  of  income. 

That  evening,  Phil  took  another  long  walk.  During  the 
walk,  he  again  tried  to  test  his  love  for  Edith ;  he  again  re- 
viewed his  experience  with  the  woman  who  called  herself 
Valerie  Florian,  and  he  returned  from  the  walk  thinking 
of  the  Lady  Barber,  and  the  trivial  appendage  known  as 
her  husband.  Phil  would  have  liked  to  assist  in  freeing  her, 
and  he  was  no  longer  sure  as  to  his  attitude  toward  even 
so  respectable  a  convention  as  the  convention  of  marriage. 

He  knew  that  he  could  not  long  exist  at  the  work  he  was 
then  doing.  The  crusher  was  at  the  very  top  of  the  fur- 
nace; the  dump  cars  ran  down  the  incline,  dumped  auto- 
matically, and  ran  back,  leaving  him  breathing  the  pungent 
dust;  the  hot  sun  beat  down  upon  him  with  intolerable 
fierceness  after  his  sheltered  life  in  cool  San  Francisco, 
and  his  unbalanced  diet  prevented  his  muscles  from  harden- 
ing. There  appeared  to  be  no  future  for  him,  and  as  he 
crept  back  through  the  silent  camp  to  his  lonely  room,  it 


290        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

seemed  to  him  that  there  was  no  longer  any  code  or  laws 
to  regulate  his  conduct. 

"  I  might  as  well  snap  my  fingers,  and  slide,"  he  mut- 
tered as  he  stumbled  across  the  doorway  and  threw  him- 
self on  the  bunk. 

The  watchman  had  been  waiting  for  some  time  in  a 
clump  of  bushes  opposite  the  shack.  "  I  should  n't  be  a 
mite  surprised  if  he  did  it  to-night,"  he  said  to  himself  as 
he  shook  his  head  ominously.  "  It  must  be  dreadful  to 
have  a  Dago  ghost  everlastingly  whisperin'  in  a  feller's  ear 
about  how  fine  it  feels  to  have  yer  throat  cut.  It  seems 
quiet  enough  in  the  camp  to-night ;  I  think  I  '11  stick  around 
here,  so  as  to  be  on  hand  when  it  happens." 

The  following  evening,  Phil  again  omitted  supper, 
bought  the  molasses  candy  and  hurried  around  to  the  bar- 
ber shop. 

"  It  won't  be  such  a  job  this  time,"  said  the  Lady  Barber, 
as  Phil  took  his  seat. 

"  We  are  both  to  be  congratulated,"  replied  Phil,  with  a 
contented  relaxation,  "  which  is  more  than  can  be  said  of 
most  marriages." 

"That  is  true  enough,"  agreed  the  woman,  in  what  was 
plainly  intended  to  be  a  general  concurrence.  "  Tell  me 
some  more  about  that  golden  haired  girl  you  knew  in  San 
Francisco." 

"  Oh,  I  do  not  know  a  great  deal  about  her,"  answered 
Phil. 

"  Is  it  possible  that  you  did  not  fall  in  love  with  her  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  Not  a  bit,"  replied  Phil.  "  My  attention  was  taken 
up  by  another  woman  of  quite  a  different  type.  The  golden 
haired  girl  was  singing  in  a  music  hall." 


A    HARD    FALL  291 

"Poor  girl!     Is  she  still  singing  there?" 

"  No ;  she  married  and  went  back  to  the  mountains." 

"  Who  did  she  marry  ?  "  asked  the  woman,  busily  strop- 
ping her  razor. 

"A  tall  young  man,  by  the  name  of  Jim,"  answered 
Phil. 

"  Is  that  honest  ?  "  cried  the  woman  excitedly.  "  Did 
Jim  Scott  actually  go  after  her  and  marry  her?" 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  that  his  name  was  Scott,"  replied 
Phil  in  surprise,  "  but  I  do  know  that  a  young  man  by  the 
name  of  Jim  took  her  back  to  the  mountains  to  marry  her. 
He  thought  I  was  the  music  teacher  who  enticed  her  away, 
and  was  disposed  to  make  all  the  preliminary  arrangements 
for  my  funeral." 

"  Yes,  that  would  be  Jim's  way.  I  thought  that  you 
were  the  singin'  teacher,  myself." 

"  What  in  the  world  do  you  know  about  it  ? "  asked 
Phil,  his  astonishment  increasing. 

"  That  was  Jennie  Edgerton,  my  second  cousin ;  and  her 
uncle  wrote  me  a  letter  after  Jennie  left.  Well,  you  've 
told  me  the  best  news  I  've  heard  for  a  mighty  long  time." 
The  Lady  Barber  looked  frankly  into  Phil's  face,  and  her 
eyes  were  beaming  with  tenderness.  Phil's  heart  warmed 
in  response. 

"  Seems  funny  that  we  should  know  someone  in  com- 
mon," said  Phil.  "  Edgerton  is  a  very  familiar  name  to  me, 
too." 

"  I  am  lots  older  than  Jennie,"  said  the  Lady  Barber. 
"  Her  father  was  the  strangest  man  I  ever  knew.  He  was 
a  kind  man,  but  never  did  much  talking.  Jennie's  mother 
died  when  Jennie  was  born,  and  her  father  tried  to  take  the 
place  of  both.  He  was  an  educated  man,  a  great  reader. 


292        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

He  started  me  to  readin',  but  Jennie  never  cared  for  it 
much." 

"  This  is  a  funny  world,"  murmured  Phil.  "  What  was 
Jennie's  father's  name  ?  " 

"  Elbert,"  replied  the  woman.  "  He  had  a  lot  of  curi- 
ous sayings.  I  recall  some  of  them  yet,  and  some  of  them 
I  am  only  just  beginning  to  understand." 

"  How  many  arms  did  he  have  ?  "  asked  Phil,  trying  to 
conceal  his  growing  interest. 

"  That 's  a  funny  question,"  said  the  woman  looking  at 
him  curiously,  "  but  the  truth  is,  he  only  had  one  arm." 

In  spite  of  the  dangerous  proximity  of  the  razor,  Phil 
suddenly  sat  erect.  "  Jennie's  uncle  back  east  was  one 
of  my  best  friends ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  Well,  this  is  a  cli- 
max." 

"  Jennie  was  only  ten  years  old  when  her  father  died. 
He  left  a  paper  saying  that  he  had  it  in  his  power  to  make 
her  rich ;  but  he  did  n't  believe  in  riches,  and  hoped  that 
she  would  always  be  contented  and  happy.  He  always 
said  that  his  own  life  was  ruined  by  having  everything  he 
wanted  when  he  was  a  boy,  and  that  he  had  never  felt 
like  a  man  until  he  had  turned  his  back  on  the  old,  easy 
ways,  and  had  gone  into  the  world  to  make  a  new  place 
for  himself.  He  left  Jennie  a  little  plot  of  ground,  and  she 
was  a  mighty  happy  and  contented  girl  —  until  that  music 
teacher  came." 

"  Her  father  was  right,"  said   Phil   soberly. 

"  I  kind  o'  thought  that  you  had  been  used  to  asking  for 
things  most  of  your  life,"  said  the  woman  shrewdly. 
"  What  kind  of  a  man  is  Jennie's  uncle  back  east ;  would 
he  take  any  interest  in  Jennie,  do  you  suppose  ?  " 

"  Why,  she  '11  lift  a  mill-stone  from  his  neck,"  said  Phil, 


A    HARD    FALL  293 

"  but  I  can't  give  you  his  address.  I  am  going  to  tell  him 
myself,  some  time;  and  you  had  better  not  say  anything 
about  it  to  Jennie,  if  you  write  to  her,  either.  If  you  were 
to  tell  her  that  you  saw  me  working  here  at  the  mines,  she 
would  not  believe  you." 

"  Well,  there  is  a  lot  of  mystery  about  it ;  but  I  have 
none  of  the  inside;  so  I  can't  do  anything  but  wait  to  see 
how  it  turns  out." 

She  finished  shaving  Phil  and  he  left  the  shop  more 
impressed  with  her  personality  than  ever;  but  beginning 
to  have  a  doubt  as  to  her  reputation  —  as  suggested  by 
her  husband.  Her  eyes  were  so  steady  and  open,  that  he 
found  it  impossible  to  believe  her  a  woman  of  easy  virtue. 
However,  instead  of  this  turning  his  thoughts  from  her,  it 
rather  impelled  them  toward  her.  Her  husband  had  no 
claim  upon  her  after  his  remarks  of  the  preceding  evening; 
she  could  not  care  for  such  a  man ;  he,  himself,  was  living 
outside  the  pale,  and  responsible  for  his  actions  to  no 
one.  Virtue  might  be  its  own  reward,  but  just  at  that 
time  he  could  recall  no  specific  incidents  from  real  life  to 
prove  it.  Dozens  of  successful  men,  men  of  note,  men 
held  in  high  respect,  appeared  before  his  mental  vision,  and 
sneered  at  masculine  chastity.  Before  he  fell  asleep  that 
night,  Phil  was  determined  that  if  the  Lady  Barber  re- 
mained true  to  her  vows,  it  would  not  be  his  fault.  He 
felt  that  his  month  as  a  bed-maker  for  Mrs.  Clancy  had 
been  an  especial  punishment  for  his  folly  in  turning  aside 
the  proposition  of  Valerie  Florian. 

During  the  next  week,  Phil  was  filled  with  an  eager  rest- 
lessness which  still  further  drained  his  nervous  force,  un- 
til his  frame  became  gaunt,  his  eyes  hollow  caverns  from 
which  gleamed  two  live  coals,  and  his  skin  pale  and  drawn. 


THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

'Cine 


Boom  and  OK  Set  tut1  wioi 

lea  T  ~. 

Tt     _  . 

Ji  gdt  iianpn^  OK 

"_^1C   'Wil'V   "C'l    f^rrnali  zm 

onoe  «!•»  awe  aHe  to  lav  a  fat,  love  a  lot  to 
•GBT,,  amfl  aB  WQBOKB  Imc  OK    ower  to  f^f***  a.  lot.    I 


•• 

at 
J1-  :    M.-::L:~.::I.    - 

~~T  -trmrfkj     T^pffrd  Olf  WBOHO^  *"  fWtfpt  OBJ"  3  |ttfJT~ 

i 


ywn?"  tiirrrf 


'-:.    :    J-T-  :   ::-.--r,:..M   v:;i.:   ;  -r.    v  -..-.  :   beBr^c  mj  :f  I 
•ad  ioMolailoK  •fe-^ifcaeoBt  I  cmdd  «BC;  so  I  "1 

i-j'iffd  afcead  as  far  a»  I  ooodd  sec  —  and 

',--.:  .,r:   -.:    -  -JO   -r--   :->v-  • 

to  pot  op  wifib  tlrnngs, 


.•:•;-    -.*-'    :,L  :   j  '-  '.  i 

1     '  :-:i---r  -    :    - 

..  -,_     -      .       :    .    •,;_.••;  •_  •,;    ~iv    •;•.-*    v  -j".v     O'.'Vi  *  i/    *_*i^ 

doorat.  oat  keeps  a  fat  of 


A  HARD  FALL 


'.VtC    i 


:-.    ;~::o^.~:i ;    ::    :•:    :.f 
A  lot  of  pea*fe  kne  a 

7.  "::"•    1    C'-'i^ro"    ;  : 


:* 


- 


is  way  fend  of 


:•: 


296        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

enjoy  being  indecent.  A  boy  can  force  himself  to  swallow 
indecency  and  lick  his  lips  afterward ;  but  this  is  because  he 
finds  himself  among  those  who  have  cultivated  indecency 
until  the  taste  for  it  has  become  a  habit.  Now,  you  could 
not  love  me  unless  we  were  lost  on  a  desert  island  from 
which  there  was  no  escape;  and  if  that  were  the  case,  I 
should  certainly  trust  you ;  but  to  sneak  off  into  the  world 
with  you  would  be  like  leaving  a  raft  to  swim  ashore  on 
your  back.  As  soon  as  you  began  to  weaken,  you  would 
throw  me  off  and  continue  alone.  You  have  good  stuff  in 
you,  Lenord,  and  some  day  you  '11  go  back  to  where  you 
came  from.  I  hope  you  '11  have  sense  enough  not  to  have 
anyone  on  your  back  when  you  decide  to  swim  towards 
home." 

She  had  been  shaving  him  while  talking,  and  she  found 
a  secret  pleasure  in  watching  the  dull  red  mottle  his  skin. 
The  great  recompense  in  her  dry  life  was  her  knowledge 
of  men,  and  her  freedom  to  treat  them  as  children  for 
their  own  good.  She  had  a  distinct,  albeit  a  motherly, 
fondness  for  Phil,  and  did  not  wish  to  hurt  him  more  than 
enough  to  recall  his  better  self;  but  Phil  was  stung  in  that 
most  sensitive  center,  his  false  pride ;  and  when  he  left  the 
chair,  he  took  the  woman's  hand. 

It  was  a  soft,  well-formed  hand,  and  the  touch  of  it  kin- 
dled a  flame  within  him.  "  You  admit  that  you  do  not  care 
anything  for  your  husband,"  he  said  huskily,  his  face  close 
to  hers ;  "  would  n't  you  like  to  go  walking  with  me  to- 
night and  see  if  we  can't  forget  this  whole  damned  mess 
for  a  while  ?  " 

The  woman  did  not  withdraw  her  hand ;  but  the  banter- 
ing light  left  her  eyes  and  was  replaced  by  a  simple  dignity. 
"  Yes,  perhaps  I  did  admit  that,  in  a  way,"  she  replied ; 


A    HARD    FALL  297 

"  but  I  did  not  admit  that  I  had  no  respect  for  myself. 
Now,  you  go  quietly  away,  take  a  long  walk,  and  think 
over  what  I  have  said.  You  have  no  temptation  whatever 
to  offer  me,  and  I  want  to  be  your  true  friend;  so  never 
be  silly  again.  I  wish  you  would  leave  here  and  return 
where  you  belong." 

Phil  slapped  his  battered  hat  on  his  head  and  hurried 
from  the  'shop,  reviling  himself  at  every  step.  There  was 
none  of  the  elation  which  had  come  to  him  after  his  last 
night  with  Valerie  Florian,  and  all  the  bitterness  of  his 
nature,  which  had  been  gathering  for  months,  now  struck 
against  him  with  the  frenzy  of  a  mob.  He  ground  his 
teeth,  clenched  his  fist,  and  cursed  beneath  his  breath. 
After  having  withstood  a  woman  of  beauty  and  culture 
and  wealth,  to  be  scorned  by  a  female  barber,  a  common 
woman  of  the  hills,  a  married  woman  whose  husband 
wished  to  be  rid  of  her!  He  raved  without  restraint,  ex- 
pressing his  wounded  vanity  in  the  weak  forms  with  which 
his  former  existence  had  provided  him.  With  the  as- 
sumption, common  to  conventionality,  for  even  at  this  stage 
Phil  was  still  instinctively  conventional,  he  utterly  disre- 
garded the  character  of  the  Lady  Barber,  and  the  true 
basis  of  his  wrath  rested  upon  the  theorem  that  her  posi- 
tion made  her  inferior  to  him. 

It  was  not  until  he  had  worn  himself  into  a  state  of  en- 
ervation so  complete  that  he  tottered  in  his  walk,  that 
Phil  began  to  deposit  any  of  the  blame  at  his  own  door. 
Once  started,  however,  his  impulsive  nature  forced  him 
to  recognize  the  beauty  of  the  woman's  treatment  of  him, 
and  from  that  on,  his  self-hatred  ravaged  his  nature  for  ten- 
der spots  and  rubbed  acid  into  them.  It  was  not  Fate,  it 
was  not  luck ;  it  was  his  own  weak,  cowardly,  selfishness 


298        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

which  had  brought  all  the  trouble  upon  him,  of  which  his 
silly,  conceited  attempt  earlier  in  the  evening,  was  merely 
the  last  straw.  He  could  never  again  look  the  woman  in 
the  face ;  he  did  not  see  how  he  could  ever  again  look  any- 
one in  the  face.  Undermined  as  he  was  by  the  nervous 
strain  of  the  past  few  weeks,  he  found  that  it  required  his 
entire  strength  to  enable  him  to  walk  painfully  back  to  his 
lonely  room,  the  room  which  would  have  been  still  more 
lonely,  if  it  were  not  for  a  queer  companionship  he  seemed 
to  have  formed  with  its  previous  occupant. 

"  No  more  sunrise  for  you,  old  boy,"  said  the  watch- 
man, sympathy  for  one  about  to  take  the  long  journey, 
and  anticipated  joy  in  his  coming  vindication  mingling  in 
his  tone.  "  You  Ve  put  up  a  good  fight ;  but  you  can't 
stand  much  more  o'  this.  I  bet  a  cookie,  you  cut  it  before 
morning." 

The  watchman  started  away,  and  then  came  to  an  ab- 
rupt stop.  "  I  wonder  if  he  has  a  razor?"  he  asked  him- 
self with  conscience-stricken  doubt,  and  then  continued 
with  a  sigh:  "Well,  if  he  ain't,  I '11  lend  him  one  to-mor- 
rowr" 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-SEVEN 

PHIL   REBELS 

SOGGY  bread,  fat  side-meat,  and  muddy  coffee  composed 
Phil's  breakfast  on  the  following  morning,  and  as  he 
climbed  the  hill  to  the  furnace,  and  afterward  climbed  the 
stairs  to  the  draw,  Phil  had  the  feeling  of  a  lost  soul,  and 
the  appearance  of  a  hopeless  slave. 

Each  shovelful  of  ore  he  scooped,  seemed  like  clods 
thrown  upon  the  grave  of  his  lost  youth.  The  sun  beat 
down  upon  him  with  sinister  mirth,  as  though  it  took 
a  fiendish  delight  in  sapping  the  few  drops  of  life 
which  remained  to  him.  His  memory  refused  to  go  back 
farther  than  the  preceding  night;  his  imagination  refused 
to  picture  any  other  future  except  an  eternity  spent  in 
scooping  molten  cinnabar  ore  into  a  bottomless  pit;  and 
when,  just  before  noon,  a  stroke,  jagged  and  startling  as 
a  flash  of  lightning,  smote  him  in  the  heart,  he  felt  a  queer 
sensation  of  relief.  He  dropped  his  shovel  and  reeled 
against  the  side  of  the  bin,  his  left  hand  pressed  to  his  side. 
For  several  minutes,  he  gave  himself  up  to  the  exquisite 
pain  which  seemed  to  be  tearing  his  heart  asunder,  and 
when  it  left  him  as  suddenly  as  it  came,  it  was  followed  by 
a  sickening  weakness  which  made  his  knees  tremble ;  but, 
what  was  still  more  noticeable,  was  the  feeling  of  keen 
disappointment  that  Death  had  refused  him,  and  that  he 
must  still  face  the  bitterness  of  existence. 

299 


300        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

He  stood  leaning  against  the  side  of  the  bin,  his  head 
dizzy  and  his  breath  coming  in  short  gasps.  He  was  try- 
ing to  find  that  queer  something  in  his  head  with  which 
he  had  formerly  thought.  He  knew  that  it  must  still  be 
there  and  it  worried  him  to  reach  out  for  it  in  the  dark, 
and  to  find  nothing  but  emptiness.  He  had  never  wanted 
to  think  so  badly  before;  he  wanted  to  consider  why  it 
was  that  he  was  there,  and  if  there  really  was  any  reason 
for  his  continuing  to  remain  and  grind  out  his  vitality  for 
what  was  not  even  a  living,  for  what  would  have  been 
punishment  for  any  crime.  He  knew  that  there  must  be 
answers  to  these  questions,  if  only  he  could  think. 

"  Hist,"  said  one  of  the  Spaniards,  as  he  and  his  fellow 
increased  their  speed. 

Phil  vaguely  recognized  the  signal,  but  it  did  not  interest 
him.  He  knew  that  it  meant  that  the  assistant  superin- 
tendent was  approaching;  but  he  was  no  longer  interested 
in  Uncle  Billy ;  he  was  only  interested  in  that  thinking  thing 
which  the  hot  sun  had  melted.  He  raised  his  eyes  to  the 
sky,  and  they  met  those  of  Merton,  who  was  standing  on 
the^dge  of  the  bin,  near  the  track  down  which  the  dump 
cars  came. 

"  I  trust  that  you  are  enjoying  your  visit  with  us,  Mr. 
Latham,"  said  Merton  with  the  sneering  smile  which  so 
perfectly  expressed  his  withered  little  soul. 

Phil  looked  at  him  with  dumb  curiosity.  What  had  this 
man  to  do  with  him?  His  eyes  remained  upon  Merton's 
face  while  he  tried  to  concentrate  his  attention,  in  order  to 
discover  if  there  was  really  anything  in  Merton's  appear- 
ance to  explain  the  air  of  mastery  he  assumed.  He  could 
see  nothing,  and  so  he  dropped  his  eyes  to  the  ore,  and 
pressed  his  hand  against  his  side  in  an  attempt  to  recall  the 


PHIL    REBELS  301 

agony  to  his  heart.  The  ecstasy  of  this  purely  physical 
anguish,  had  been  a  delightful  relief  from  the  mental  tor- 
tures he  had  suffered  before  he  had  lost  that  thing  with 
which  he  thought. 

He  could  not  arouse  his  heart  to  pain ;  so  he  took  off  his 
hat  and  felt  of  the  upper  part  of  his  head.  He  found  the 
spot  just  back  of  the  dome  of  his  skull.  It  felt  sore  to  his 
touch,  but  the  soreness  was  not  unpleasant;  it  was  the 
numbness  as  of  broken  wires  which  tormented  him.  He 
concentrated  all  his  attention  upon  the  question,  Why  do  I 
stay  here;  and  sent  it  along  the  wire  to  this  point  —  and 
here  it  simply  shot  off  into  space.  He  could  not  contem- 
plate two  ideas  with  sufficient  clearness  to  decide  upon  their 
association.  He  knew  that  this  was  a  serious  condition; 
but  for  some  peculiar  reason,  or  rather  lack  of  reason,  it 
did  not  seem  serious  to  him.  It  seemed  rather  amusing  to 
think  that  he,  Philip  Lytton,  should  lose  part  of  his  brain, 
shoveling  cinnabar  ore  at  two  dollars  a  day. 

He  could  not  quite  recall  the  distinctive  features  which 
lifted  Philip  Lytton  above  the  general  herd;  but  his  ego- 
tism was  of  that  sublime  type  which  takes  its  worth  for 
granted,  and  is  never  again  troubled  with  doubts  or  suspi- 
cions. He  knew  that  he  was  superior  to  the  mob,  he  did 
not  know  why,  he  did  not  care  why;  it  was  enough  that 
he  was  a  personage  of  quality,  born  to  the  purple,  fitted  to 
rule  a  province,  lifted  by  birth  and  breeding  above  the 
petty  envy  and  jealousy  which  sting  those  who  are  forced 
to  struggle  for  position ;  and  as  he  pressed  the  sore  spot 
in  the  back  part  of  his  head,  he  suddenly  laughed  aloud,  a 
clear,  mellow  laugh. 

Uncle  Billy  Merton  was  astonished;  he  had  quickly  per- 
ceived and  recognized  the  deposit  which  better  days  had 


302        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

left  upon  Phil,  that  ingrained,  intricate,  complicated  entity, 
which,  like  the  waterline  along  the  scarp  of  a  mountain, 
is  more  easily  observed  as  a  whole,  than  would  be  any 
small  fraction.  That  Phil  had  at  one  time  lived,  looked, 
and  acted  like  a  gentleman,  without  ever  being  forced  to 
proclaim  himself  a  gentleman  —  a  humiliating  process  fre- 
quently experienced  by  would-be  gentlemen  —  was  so  ap- 
parent to  Merton  that  it  had  aroused  from  the  very  first  a 
bitter  resentment  which  spurred  his  crabbed  nature  to  the 
invention  of  countless  nasty  gibes. 

The  simplicity  with  which  Phil  had  received  them  had 
been  delightful.  He  had  at  once  taken  it  for  granted  that 
Merton  was  a  cad  with  a  corrugated  soul,  that  some  friv- 
olous joke  of  fortune  had  tossed  him  into  a  position  of 
authority,  that  his  own  subordinate  position  carried  with 
it  an  obligation  to  endure  the  small  tyranny  of  this  petty 
overling,  and  that  therefore  the  proper  course  was  simply 
to  ignore  the  disgusting  satire  of  the  forms,  but  to  carry 
out  the  instructions  as  fully  as  possible.  The  outcome  was 
that  he  never  appeared  to  hear  Merton  except  when  a  di- 
rect question  had  been  asked  or  a  command  given,  and  the 
assistant  superintendent,  who  preferred  to  see  his  victims 
squirm,  had  gradually  developed  a  personal  hatred  for  Phil, 
and  had  pestered  him  to  the  full  extent  of  his  power;  but 
always  before,  Phil  had  worked  beyond  his  strength  under 
the  goad,  while  now  Merton  experienced  some  of  the  wist- 
ful discontent  which  must  occasionally  come  to  a  dog 
whose  exaggerated  ego  impels  him  to  issue  orders,  as  of 
one  having  authority,  to  the  moon.  When  Phil  laughed, 
Merton  scowled.  It  was  not  successful  repartee,  but  the 
situation  was  unique. 


PHIL    REBELS  303 

"  Why  do  you  not  come  up  here  and  sit  down,  Mr. 
Latham  ?  There  is  a  pleasant  breeze ;  the  view  is  much 
better,  and  you  would  not  be  in  the  way  of  the  men  who 
wish  to  work." 

Phil  nodded  his  puzzled  head  seriously.  He  could  not 
quite  reason  about  it,  but  it  sounded  plausible;  so  he 
climbed  the  ladder  fastened  to  the  side  of  the  bin.  It  was  a 
slow,  wearing  process,  and  after  reaching  the  top,  he  swayed 
dizzily  for  a  moment  as  he  seated  himself.  He  felt  the 
breeze  caress  his  fevered  cheeks ;  he  rested  his  eyes  upon 
the  blues  and  purples  of  the  distant  mountains,  and  he 
nodded  approval. 

"  Would  you  like  a  cigar,  Mr.  Latham  ?  "  asked  Merton, 
proffering  one. 

"  No,  thank  you,"  replied  Phil ;  "  I  do  not  feel  like  smok- 
ing." 

"  That  is  right,  Mr.  Latham.  I  am  glad  that  you  feel  at 
home.  It  would  pain  me  deeply  if  you  were  to  do  any- 
thing which  violated  your  natural  desires." 

This  remark  did  not  seem  to  demand  an  answer,  so  Phil 
merely  bowed  decorously  and  continued  to  gaze  upon  the 
undulating  scenery,  and  to  wonder  if  he  would  ever  again 
be  able  to  think  clearly.  He  did  not  worry  about  it;  he 
merely  wondered. 

"  How  much  longer  do  you  intend  to  loaf  on  this  job?" 
demanded  Merton  with  a  sudden,  savage  gust  of  temper. 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Phil  simply.  "  I  do  not  seem 
able  to  think  clearly  just  now." 

"  I  don't  care  a  damn  about  your  thinking,"  retorted 
Merton,  "  but  if  you  don't  intend  to  begin  working  from 
this  minute,  you  call  at  the  office  for  your  time." 


304        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Phil  bowed,  and  Merton  climbed  down  from  the  side  of 
the  bin  and  hastened  down  the  slope  toward  his  own  cot- 
tage. 

Phil  continued  to  sit  looking  down  at  the  roofs  of  the 
buildings  far  below.  Even  the  rough  shacks  were  given 
a  soft,  hazy  gray  by  the  distance,  and  pleased  his  sense  of 
sight  and  aroused  :i  faint  trace  of  the  home  feeling.  It 
would  be  restful  to  throw  himself  upon  the  hard  bunk  in 
the  corner  room  of  that  distant  shack,  and  just  forget;  he 
had  forgotten  so  many  things,  that  he  yearned  to  also  for- 
get that  he  had  forgotten  how  to  think.  The  world  was 
no  longer  a  place  for  men ;  it  was  the  abode  of  a  gruesome 
monster  called  a  quicksilver  furnace,  which  lived  upon  men, 
which  ground  them  up  and  swallowed  them ;  but  which  first 
sucked  out  their  brains  so  that  they  could  not  think  as  men 
thought,  for  if  men  could  think,  they  would  no  longer  stay 
in  such  a  place. 

It  was  perfectly  clear,  and  yet  he  could  not  see  it;  be- 
cause he  was  one  soon  to  be  swallowed;  and  already  his 
brain  had  been  sucked  away.  He  looked  over  toward 
the  new  furnace  which  was  nearing  completion.  The 
bricks  of  it  were  clean  and  it  seemed  gentle  and  kind  in  the 
bright  sunshine ;  and  then  he  looked  up  at  the  smoke  com- 
ing from  the  flume  of  the  old  furnace  beneath  the  crusher 
bin  upon  which  he  sat.  The  stench  of  the  fumes  came  to 
him  with  a  shift  of  the  breeze,  and  he  shuddered  and  spat. 
"  It  has  a  rotten  breath,"  he  muttered.  The  furnace  had 
become  a  living  monster,  a  sly,  cruel  being  with  the  schem- 
ing intellect  of  a  man,  and  the  soulless,  filthy  appetite  of  a 
vampire.  The  new  furnace  looked  clean  and  harmless, 
because  it  was  still  on  a  milk  diet.  After  a  time  it  would 


PHIL    REBELS  305 

outgrow  its  cub  innocence  and  feed  upon  men  as  raven- 
ously as  the  old  furnace. 

"  He  gone  ? "  asked  the  soft  voice  of  the  youngest  Span- 
iard. 

Phil  looked  down  in  surprise.  "  No,"  he  replied,  think- 
ing of  the  furnace,  "  it  is  not  a  he,  it  is  a  vicious  old  she, 
and  she  just  blew  her  foul  breath  in  my  face.  She  will 
never  go  away  as  long  as  there  are  men  to  eat." 

The  Spaniards  exchanged  glances  and  the  elder  touched 
his  forehead  with  a  lean,  eloquent  forefinger.  The  younger 
one  climbed  the  ladder  and  looked  over  the  edge  of  the  bin 
at  Merton's  retreating  form.  "  Sun  too  hot  for  you,"  he 
said  gently.  "  Why  you  not  stop  this  job?  You  hired  for 
furnace  work ;  this  not  furnace  work.  Why  you  no  make 
'em  give  you  furnace  work  ?  " 

"  She  '11  eat  me  any  way,"  said  Phil  wisely.  "  It  makes 
no  difference  what  I  do,  she  '11  get  me  sooner  or  later." 

At  this  moment  the  noon  whistle  blurted  its  summons 
with  clarion  insistence.  There  was  no  act  of  conscious 
will  upon  Phil's  part;  mechanically  he  clambered  down 
from  the  edge  of  the  bin  to  the  slope,  which  was  nearly 
on  a  level  with  the  crusher  bin.  It  was  now  time  to  go  to 
the  mess  hall ;  his  desire  for  food  had  nothing  to  do  with 
it ;  the  whistle  was  the  coarse  voice  of  the  monster  who  pos- 
sessed him,  and  it  was  not  his  to  reason  why. 

"  Don't  say  I  told  you,"  called  the  younger  Spaniard ; 
"  but  you  tell  Old  Billy  that  you  no  work  here  any  more." 

Phil  turned  and  waved  his  hand  politely,  but  the  words 
meant  little  to  him ;  and  yet  they  kept  repeating  themselves 
monotonously.  He  wondered  if  Merton  really  did  have 
power  over  the  monster,  or  if  he,  too,  was  a  slave ;  and  then 


3o6        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

he  wondered  why  he  was  able  to  wonder,  when  he  was  no 
longer  able  to  think. 

Down  in  the  valley  where  the  buildings  stood,  it  was  a 
little  cooler;  and  when  he  reached  the  brook  which  ran 
through  the  camp,  he  clambered  down  its  bank  and  stuck 
his  head  into  the  water.  It  was  refreshing;  it  was  so  re- 
freshing that  he  gave  a  little  incoherent  coo  of  delight.  He 
put  head  and  face  into  the  water  once  more,  opening  his  lips 
and  sucking  some  of  its  sweetness  into  his  parched  throat. 

"  Old  Devil,  Old  Devil ! "  he  cried,  straightening  to  his 
knees  and  shaking  his  fist  at  the  furnace.  "  There  is  one 
thing  you  can't  control ;  you  can't  control  the  water  "  —  he 
laughed  with  childish  glee  —  "  you  can't  control  the  water ; 
it  is  just  as  clean  and  cooling  as  ever  —  you  dirty  old 
beast!" 

He  moved  a  short  distance  down  stream  to  where  the 
bank  flattened  and  made  a  smooth  stretch,  part  of  which 
was  shaded  by  a  dead  tree,  another  victim  of  the  poisonous 
fumes.  He  lay  at  full  length  by  the  tree,  putting  his  head 
under  water  frequently  and  holding  it  there  as  long  as 
possible. 

"  I  can  now  think  a  little,"  he  said  aloud  after  a  few  mo- 
ments. "  I  am  now  able  to  see  that  if  I  do  not  hurry,  I 
shall  get  no  pie,  and  that  is  all  they  have  here  that  I  can 
swallow  without  forcing  myself.  I  must  hurry." 

He  arose  with  nervous  haste  and  hurried  to  the  mess  hall. 
From  the  number  of  curious  eyes  raised  to  scrutinize  him, 
it  was  apparent  that  the  news  of  his  trouble  had  spread 
among  the  men.  Men  who  live  in  groups  away  from  the 
influence  of  good  women  develop  certain  distinct  traits. 
They  become  coarse  in  speech ;  but  on  the  other  hand  they 
frequently  display  an  orderly  neatness,  and  almost  always 


PHIL    REBELS  307 

a  tenderness  for  the  weak,  which  seems  feminine  rather  than 
masculine.  Ask  the  mascot  of  a  ship,  'or  a  troupe,  or  a  fire 
company,  if  men  are  cruel,  and  you  will  find  that  they  are 
in  reality  overflowing  with  a  yearning  to  pet  and  fondle 
which  flows  forth  whenever  opportunity  offers.  The 
stronger  a  normal  man  is,  the  more  he  delights  in  being 
imposed  upon  by  weakness. 

The  cold  water  had  done  much  to  restore  Phil's  circu- 
lation; but  his  face  still  held  a  sickly  pallor,  and  he  still 
walked  with  the  unconfidence  of  extreme  weakness. 

Vermicelli  soup,  as  usual,  was  the  first  item  offered  at 
dinner,  and  Phil  gave  a  shiver  of  disgust  as  he  tried  to  eat 
it.  The  sanitary  conditions  of  the  commissary  department 
were  scarcely  an  exposition  of  modernism,  and  occasionally 
there  were  very  obvious  indications  that  the  soup  had  qual- 
ified literally  for  its  suggestive  title.  Still  it  was  possible 
to  eat  soup,  even  when  one  was  not  hungry;  while  it  fre- 
quently happened  that  Phil  found  it  impossible  to  swallow 
the  fried  insult  which  was  used  as  a  substitute  for  meat. 
He  had  forgotten  how  real  coffee  tasted,  and  was  thus  able 
to  get  genuine  comfort  from  the  muddy  caricature  which 
was  served  three  times  a  day.  Alas,  Phil  had  spent  so 
much  time  at  the  brook  that  the  pie  had  all  been  eaten,  and 
when  he  discovered  this,  it  was  all  he  could  do  to  hide  his 
tears.  He  wanted  to  weep  and  wail  like  a  child ;  he  did  not 
wish  to  repress  his  feelings,  and  he  could  find  no  expression 
for  them  in  the  words  of  men,  so  he  drew  deep,  gasping 
breaths  and  gave  way  to  a  self-pity  so  intense  that  even 
Phil,  himself,  lost  track  of  its  ridiculous  cause ,  and  dumbly 
attributed  his  woe  to  the  monster  who  had  selected  and 
marked  him  as  the  next  sacrifice. 

The  men  had  watched  him  as  he  ate,  had  actually  given 


3o8        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

up  a  portion  of  their  precious  nooning,  to  gaze  upon  him 
with  a  dumb  pity  they  knew  not  how  to  express;  and 
now  as  he  arose  and  walked  outside,  they  gathered  around 
him  and  advised  him  to  go  on  sick  report  and  rest  up. 

"  Yes,"  said  Phil,  "  I  am  not  going  to  work  in  the  sun 
this  afternoon.  I  am  a  furnace  man,  and  I  am  going  to 
work  inside." 

"  You  won't  last  long  inside,"  said  one  of  the  men  with 
rude  kindliness.  "  Your  teeth  would  loosen  up  in  about  a 
week,  on  the  furnace." 

"  I  don't  need  them  any  more,"  replied  Phil  soberly. 
He  was  thinking  of  his  recent  meal,  but  did  not  even  know 
the  insidious  stealth  with  which  the  mercury  fumes  crept 
in  with  the  furnace-man's  breath,  to  salivate  him. 

The  men  shook  their  heads  and  left  him. 

When  the  one  o'clock  whistle  blew,  Phil  started  with  the 
rest,  and  then  stopped.  "  I  won't  work  in  the  sun,"  he 
said  as  though  in  argument 

Merton,  who  had  been  watching  to  see  that  the  men 
started  to  work  promptly,  saw  his  dearest  victim  sitting 
upon  the  bench  in  front  of  the  blacksmith  shop. 

"  Ah,  Air.  Latham,"  said  Merton,  who  had  regained  his 
normal  attitude  of  deliberate  cruelty,  "  I  see  that  you  are 
still  enjoying  your  rest." 

Phil  did  not  even  glance  at  his  persecutor.  He  con- 
tinued to  sit  with  half -closed  eyes,  looking  at  the  brook 
which  babbled  mirthfully  as  it  danced  by  the  shop. 

"  Did  you  hear  what  I  said  ?  "  demanded  Merton.  Phil 
nodded  his  head.  "  Then  why  don't  you  answer  me  ?  " 

"  You  did  not  ask  me  a  question,"  explained  Phil,  looking 
at  Merton  without  interest.  He  hated  this  man  with  all 
his  heart ;  but  it  was  not  a  personal  hatred.  It  was  like  the 


PHIL    REBELS  309 

feeling  he  would  have  held  for  some  unknown  tormentor 
who  pestered  him  anonymously.  When  one  receives  or- 
ders from  a  steam  whistle,  one  accepts  official  superiority 
as  a  matter  of  course. 

"  Since  you  are  so  precise,  Mr.  Latham,  I  now  ask  you 
what  you  propose  doing  during  the  remainder  of  your  visit 
here?" 

"  I  am  going  to  work  in  the  furnace,"  replied  Phil.  "  I 
shall  not  again  work  in  the  sun." 

"  You  're  gettin'  too  fresh !  "  exclaimed  Merton,  agitated 
beyond  affectation.  "  When  I  need  your  assistance  in  the 
management  of  these  works,  I  '11  let  you  know.  Now,  you 
hustle  up  to  that  crusher  and  get  to  work.  You  can't  play 
sick  with  me." 

Phil  looked  at  him  curiously.  "  No,"  he  said,  shaking 
his  head  with  childish  emphasis,  "  I  am  not  going  to  work 
in  the  sun.  I  am  a  furnace  man." 

Merton  took  several  threatening  steps  toward  him. 
"  I  '11  make  you  work  in  the  sun,"  he  growled. 

"  If  you  do,  I  '11  kill  you,"  said  Phil  in  even  tones. 

Merton  looked  into  his  eyes.  They  were  hard  and  peace- 
ful, like  the  eyes  of  a  child  engaged  in  tearing  the  wings 
from  a  butterfly.  A  chill  went  through  Merton.  He  saw 
that  Phil  was  in  earnest,  and  the  fear  of  insanity,  latent  in 
all  human  breasts,  sprang  into  being.  "  What 's  the  matter 
with  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Phil.  "  Something  melted  in 
my  head  this  morning,  and  I  can  not  think  clearly.  It  is 
coming  back  to  me  again;  but  if  I  went  to  work  in  the 
sun,  I  might  lose  it  for  good.  I  shall  not  work  in  the 
sun." 

"  You  come  with  me,"  said  Merton,  "  and  I  '11  give  you 


3io        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

some  medicine,  and  then  you  go  to  your  room  and  sleep. 
To-morrow,  if  you  feel  able,  start  in  at  the  furnace." 

The  human  anatomy  is  not  designed  to  stand  more  than 
a  few  weeks'  work  in  a  quicksilver  furnace,  and  no  man 
who  signs  for  a  furnace  job  is  ever  discharged.  Phil  took 
the  medicine,  went  to  his  room,  and  tied  a  wet  towel  about 
his  head.  He  slept  all  afternoon  and  when  he  awoke,  felt 
normal  again,  but  the  towel  recalled  something  of  his  morn- 
ing's discomfort,  and  he  wet  it  once  more  and  sat  on  his 
doorstep  to  catch  the  faint  breeze. 

The  night  watchman  had  just  eaten  breakfast,  and  was 
picking  his  teeth  as  thoroughly  as  the  elastic  equality  of 
his  lips  would  permit,  when  he  noticed  Phil  with  his  head 
bandaged.  "  My  God ! "  exclaimed  the  watchman  halting 
abruptly.  "He's  failed." 

Phil  sat  with  his  weary  head  leaning  against  the  door 
frame,  and  the  watchman,  after  studying  him  a  moment, 
approached  gingerly.  "  How  did  it  happen  ? "  he  asked, 
referring  to  Phil's  apparent  lack  of  success  in  the  matter 
of  suicide. 

"  The  sun,  I  think,"  answered  Phil.  "  I  began  to  slip 
cogs  this  morning,  and  I  am  not  quite  right  yet." 

"  You're  devilled  too  much  of  nights,"  said  the  watchman 
didactically. 

"  I  don't  sleep  very  well,"  agreed  Phil. 

"  Do  you  hear  whisperings  ? "  asked  the  watchman. 

"  No,  snores,"  answered  Phil.  "  Every  sound  in  this 
shack  seems  to  find  its  way  to  my  room." 

"  Do  you  have  dreams  ?  "  asked  the  watchman  who  was 
not  deeply  interested  in  commonplace  earth  noises. 

"  Yes,  I  dream  a  good  deal ;  but  can't  remember  them." 

"  It  is  just  as  well,  it  is  just  as  well,"  said  the  watchman 


PHIL    REBELS  311 

solemnly.  He  felt  a  genuine  sympathy  for  Phil;  but  he 
also  felt  the  futility  of  interfering  with  what  was  plainly 
the  design  of  Fate.  "  I  heard  you  talkin'  in  your  sleep 
once  —  about  gettin'  shaved.  Do  you  remember  that 
dream  ?  " 

Suddenly  his  experience  with  the  Lady  Barber  struck 
Phil  like  a  blow  and  the  taunting  accusations  of  his  now 
thoroughly  aroused  memory,  caused  him  to  wince  per- 
ceptibly. The  watchman  noted  and  a  thrill  of  elation  shot 
through  him.  It  was  all  perfectly  plain  to  him:  Phil  was 
being  hounded  by  the  ghost  of  the  suicide  to  follow  his 
baleful  example. 

"Have  you  a  razor?"  asked  the  watchman.  If  it  was 
predestined  for  Phil  to  cut  his  throat,  he  stood  ready  to 
provide  whatever  instruments  were  necessary.  There  was 
no  cruelty  in  this ;  he  had  a  high  sense  of  duty,  and  a  super- 
stitious reverence  for  the  occult. 

"  Yes,  I  have  a  razor  of  my  own,"  replied  Phil.  He  was 
surprised  at  the  watchman's  friendly  interest;  but  any 
companionship  was  grateful  at  this  time. 

"  You  have  ?  Well !  I  did  n't  suppose  you  had  one. 
Have  you  left  a  letter  to  your  friends,  in  case  you  should 
—  well,  in  case  you  should  meet  with  an  accident?  " 

"Yes,  I  have  a  letter  in  my  coat  pocket,"  replied  Phil, 
smiling  wanly. 

The  watchman  nodded  approval.  "  It  has  been  mighty 
hot  to-day,"  he  said,  weighing  the  conversational  anchor. 
"  Well,  I  guess  I  must  be  movin'  along.  That  blood  stain 
shows  plainer  to-day  than  usual,  don't  it?  And  I  swear 
I  can  see  him  lyin'  there  on  the  floor  as  plain  this  minute, 
as  I  can  see  you.  Well,  good  luck." 

As  the  watchman  had  pointed  with  tragic  finger,  a  shud- 


3i2        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

der  passed  over  Phil,  and  for  a  moment  he  too  could  see 
the  form  on  the  floor;  and  even  after  the  watchman  had 
gone  his  cheery  way,  the  description  which  he  had  given 
to  Phil  upon  his  first  evening  remained  and  repeated  itself 
in  the  tangled  mess  of  Phil's  memory. 

After  a  hasty  supper,  Phil  returned  to  his  room.  He 
sat  upon  his  bunk  in  the  darkness  and  berated  his  folly 
for  having  cut  him  off  from  the  friendship  of  the  Lady 
Barber;  but  stronger  than  anything  else,  was  the  presence 
which  lay  upon  the  floor,  which  writhed  in  torment,  which 
made  gurgling,  horrid  noises,  which  seemed  to  jeer  at  him 
for  continuing  in  a  world  where  every  moment  of  joy  must 
be  paid  for  by  a  week  of  sorrow;  and  again  it  was  after 
midnight  before  he  fell  into  a  troubled  doze. 

"  He 's  put  it  off  again,"  said  the  watchman  from  the 
shadow  by  his  door. 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-EIGHT 

CLOSE  TO   THE   BRINK 

THE  next  morning  Phil  started  to  work  on  the  "  draw." 
It  was  Sunday  morning;  but  when  a  distinct  day  each 
week  was  reserved  for  rest,  life  was  quite  a  simple  mat- 
ter; and  the  complexities  of  modern  industry  were  so  com- 
pletely overlooked,  that  modern  industrialists  have,  as  a 
reciprocal  courtesy,  concluded  to  completely  overlook  the 
commandment  which  placed  a  limit  upon  toil. 

Some  academic  authorities  insist  that  under  the  old  dis- 
pensation, Saturday  was  a  day  of  rest;  while  under  the 
new,  Sunday  is  a  day  of  religious  service  and  that  there 
is  no  revelation  that  the  Deity  is  in  favor  of  anyone's  seek- 
ing rest  or  recreation  upon  this  day.  These  authorities 
seem  a  bit  skeptical  in  regard  to  the  benefit  a  manual  toiler 
derives  from  a  day  of  rest,  and  therefore,  in  numerous  in- 
stances, the  fourth  commandment  is  given  a  purely  spir- 
itual interpretation.  The  wording  of  the  fourth  com- 
mandment is  very  beautiful;  it  is  full  of  fatherly 
sympathy  —  No,  fatherly  is  too  limited  a  qualification,  for 
it  does  not  stop  at  the  children  but  reaches  tenderly  down 
through  the  men  servants  and  the  maid  servants  even  unto 
the  cattle  and  the  stranger  within  the  gates.  It  is  much 
to  be  regretted  that  Divine  Providence  has  not  seen  fit  to 
offer  some  modern  suggestions  in  order  that  this  loving 
law  may  be  fitted  to  the  use  of  those  of  us  who  handle 

313 


3i4        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  engines,  the  telegraph  keys,  and  the  cookstoves  which 
have  been  instituted  since  this  law  was  traced  by  an  infinite 
ringer  upon  a  tablet  of  stone.  Perhaps,  this  is  not  done 
because  both  the  need  is  obvious  and  the  method  comes 
within  the  scope  of  human  reason.  This  must  indeed  be 
the  answer,  for  it  is  not  conceivable  that  He  who  could 
devise  such  a  law,  could  ever  hold  industrial  profits  above 
human  welfare.  It  sometimes  seems  that  our  expert  spir- 
itual interpretations  have  been  made  in  the  wrong  spirit. 

A  quicksilver  furnace  is  a  simple  arrangement ;  the  one 
at  New  Hygia  especially  so ;  the  ore  was  dug  in  the  moun- 
tain back  of  the  furnace;  gravity  hauled  the  cars  to  the 
dump  at  the  head  of  the  steep  slope  and  one  mule  could 
haul  back  three  empty  cars ;  gravity  carried  the  ore  down 
to  the  crusher  bin,  and  as  the  full  car  went  down,  it  pulled 
up  the  empty  one  —  all  the  way  through,  the  process  was 
as  simple  as  a  child's  toy  sand-mill.  The  crushed  ore 
flowed  over  the  steam-heated  surface  of  the  condenser  to 
small  hand-cars  which  were  dumped  into  the  charge  by  a 
man  who  was  forced  to  inhale  mercury  fumes  during  the 
process.  The  effect  of  the  fumes  upon  the  man  was  not 
simple;  but  this  was  merely  an  item.  After  the  mercury 
had  been  cooked  from  the  ore,  the  tailings  were  drawn 
from  the  bowels  of  the  furnace  into  a  steel  car  by  another 
man  who  pushed  the  car  out  over  rails  to  a  dump, 
and  the  only  remaining  step  was  to  gather  the  pure  mercury 
as  it  congealed  and  flowed  into  vats,  and  to  scrape  the 
soot  from  the  sides  of  the  condenser  and  grind  it.  The 
man  who  did  this  filled  his  bones  with  mercury  and  for 
the  remainder  of  his  days  he  had  advance  warning  of  all 
changes  in  the  weather.  It  was  knowledge,  however, 
which  was  seldom  put  to  a  good  use,  for  the  man  him- 


CLOSE    TO    THE    BRINK        315 

self  would  be  so  taken  up  with  a  selfish,  personal  interest 
in  his  own  aches  and  pains,  that  he  rarely  classified  the 
phenomena  in  order  to  perceive  just  what  brand  of 
weather  a  specific  twinge  foretold;  and  usually  contented 
himself  with  profane  incoherency,  instead  of  prophesying 
a  shower  or  a  blizzard.  Men  are  so  materialistic  that  a 
life  of  excessive  drudgery  frequently  makes  them  posi- 
tively self-centered. 

Phil  was  placed  upon  the  charge.  There  was  very  little 
labor  in  this,  only  ten  minutes  out  of  the  hour;  but,  next 
to  grinding  soot,  it  was  the  most  poisonous  work  at  the 
furnace.  All  he  had  to  do  was  to  open  the  cut-off,  let 
the  crushed  ore  pour  into  his  car,  push  it  to  the  maw  of 
the  furnace,  open  this,  incidentally  freeing  the  fumes, 
dump  his  car,  and  return  to  his  seat  on  the  ground  floor. 
There  was  so  little  work  that  Phil  wondered  what 
prompted  a  corporation  to  pay  two  dollars  for  one  hour 
and  forty  minutes  work.  It  was  not  business,  it  was 
philanthropy,  and  Phil  could  not  see  through  it. 

The  men  were  at  first  inclined  to  fraternize  with  Phil  after 
his  attack  in  the  crusher;  but  with  the  return  of  memory, 
Phil  fell  to  brooding  over  his  crass  rudeness  to  the  Lady 
Barber;  and  the  men,  not  being  in  a  position  to  know, 
voted  him  a  surly  snob,  and  left  him  to  his  own  devices. 
Most  of  the  men  wore  sponges  over  mouth  and  nose;  but 
as  the  company's  practical  spirit  prompted  it  to  charge  fifty 
cents  for  a  ten  cent  sponge,  Phil  stated  the  locality  where 
it  could  go  as  far  as  he  was  concerned,  and  breathed  the 
fumes  without  any  check  whatever.  Philip  Lytton  econo- 
mizing in  the  matter  of  a  necessary  sponge  was  enough  to 
make  an  imp  of  darkness  hysterical. 

By  the  end  of  the  week  his  mouth  was  raw ;  he  was  con- 


3i6        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

stantly  nauseated;  every  one  of  his  bodily  scouts  were  send- 
ing in  word  that  his  vital  forces  were  losing  all  along  the 
line;  and  that  if  he  desired  a  continuance  of  internal  ad- 
justment to  external  conditions,  commonly  called  life,  it 
would  be  necessary  for  him  to  beat  a  prompt  retreat.  His 
head  was  dull  and  clouded,  and  he  did  not  take  much  in- 
terest in  his  future;  but  the  furnace  boss  knew  the  sym- 
toms,  and  ordered  Phil  to  go  to  the  draw  when  he  began 
his  second  week.  The  day  and  the  night  shifts,  alternated 
at  weekly  intervals;  so  Phil  began  his  labors  on  the  draw 
at  night. 

The  work  on  the  draw  was  really  less  poisonous,  al- 
though it  looked  more  so.  It  consisted  in  drawing  red, 
blue,  green,  and  white  hot  tailings  from  the  bottom  of  the 
furnace  with  a  twelve-foot  hoe.  The  hoe  was  of  steel  and 
seemed  heavier  than  Phil  by  this  time,  while  each  had 
about  the  same  amount  of  fat  and  the  same  assortment  of 
beautiful  curves. 

It  was  like  a  dream  of  Hell:  weird  figures  formed  in 
the  burning  gases  above  the  molten  ore,  figures  of  fantas- 
tic shape  and  coloring  which  danced  with  jeering  mirth 
before  him,  kicking  up  toes,  and  sticking  out  tongues  at 
him;  while  the  sickening,  overpowering,  strangling  fumes 
appeared  bent  upon  throttling  him.  These  fumes  were 
less  dangerous  than  those  of  the  draw,  but  more  torment- 
ing. 

Driven  the  round  of  his  actual  treadmill  by  the  demon 
of  his  undisciplined  imagination,  Phil  had  lost  all  sem- 
blance of  his  former  self.  He  was  worn  to  a  bone,  the 
skin  was  drawn  over  his  cheeks  as  tight  as  parchment, 
and  his  eyes  stared  out  of  his  corpse-like  face  with  the 
desperate  indecision  of  madness;  but  worst  of  all,  the 


CLOSE    TO    THE    BRINK        317 

black  form  which  belonged  on  the  floor  close  to  the  door 
of  his  room,  had  begun  to  follow  him.  He  saw  it  lurking 
in  the  wavering  shadows  thrown  by  the  glare  of  the  fur- 
nace ;  he  came  upon  it  waiting  in  the  gloom  for  him ;  some- 
times, he  even  caught  the  gibbering  chatter  of  its  laugh. 

Once  or  twice  during  the  evening,  Merton  would  drop  in 
to  watch  Phil  do  his  task.  It  was  none  of  Merton's  busi- 
ness, as  the  furnace  boss  was  supreme  in  the  furnace,  and 
would  have  paid  no  more  attention  to  one  of  Merton's  sug- 
gestions than  he  would  have  paid  to  a  bat's  squeak;  but 
the  mock  aristocracy  in  Merton's  thin  blood  had  declared 
war  upon  the  genuine  aristocracy  in  Phil's  blood,  and  the 
assistant  was  not  any  more  a  free-will  agent  than  are  the 
rest  of  us.  Poor  Phil  had  forgotten  that  he  had  ever  re- 
garded himself  as  an  aristocrat,  and  would  have  traded 
pedigree,  culture,  and  manners  for  one  meal  which  tasted 
like  food,  and  the  hearty  grip  of  a  friendly  hand.  The 
Mexican  who  was  on  the  draw  with  him  finished  in  from 
ten  to  fifteen  minutes,  and  was  at  peace  with  himself.  It 
took  Phil  from  twenty  to  thirty  minutes  to  do  the  same 
work,  and  this  added  to  his  abasement. 

He  would  tremble  all  through  his  body  as  he  balanced  the 
heavy  hoe  and  thrust  it  back  of  the  ore,  and  by  the  time 
he  had  completed  his  task,  he  would  be  panting  for  air 
and  dripping  with  sweat. 

"  Don't  be  afraid  of  the  hoe,  Mr.  Latham,"  Merton's 
voice  would  say  out  of  the  darkness.  "  When  you  wear  it 
out,  the  company  will  get  you  another.  You  waste  a  lot 
of  fuel  when  you  leave  the  doors  open  so  long.  Why 
don't  you  work  as  rapidly  as  Juan  who  is  not  nearly  your 
size?". 

Phil  never  replied.     Sometimes  he  bit  his  lip  until  the 


3i8        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

blood  ran;  but  he  never  answered,  and  the  furies  them- 
selves could  have  devised  no  better  way  to  irritate  Merton. 
He  had  a  dozen  pat  insults  for  the  man  whom  he  had 
goaded  into  talking  back;  but  the  actual  limitations  put 
upon  his  power  by  Blake  did  not  offer  him  much  oppor- 
tunity to  persecute  those  who  ignored  him. 

During  the  day  the  sun  poured  down  on  the  shack  and 
Phil  found  it  almost  impossible  to  sleep ;  but  the  only 
certainty  in  life,  is  the  certainty  of  change,  and  after  an 
age  of  centuries,  the  week  finally  crumbled  away  to  its 
last  bitter  second ;  and  he  had  a  feeling  of  relief  as  though 
he  had  really  accomplished  something  of  moment. 

He  had  not  shaved  since  the  night  he  had  disgraced 
himself  in  the  shop  of  the  Lady  Barber;  but  this  morn- 
ing after  washing  his  underwear  in  the  brook,  he  shaved 
himself  painfully,  and  felt  much  cleaner  afterward.  He 
left  his  razor  lying  upon  the  arts-and-crafts  table  he  had 
made  of  a  soap  box  and  four  rough  sticks ;  and  after  din- 
ner returned  to  work  at  the  furnace,  for  it  was  in  this  man- 
ner that  the  change  from  the  day  to  the  night  shift  was 
made. 

The  furnace  men  are  of  sufficient  importance  to  have 
some  care  taken  with  their  meals ;  somewhat  in  the  same 
spirit  that  a  condemned  murderer  is  supplied  with  culinary 
luxuries  as  his  debt  becomes  due.  Phil  ate  a  fair  meal  and 
strolled  around  to  his  shack,  hoping  that  the  night  would 
bring  him  rest  and  peace.  He  saw  the  watchman  looking 
in  through  his  open  door;  but  he  did  not  see  the  dawn  of 
victory  in  the  watchman's  eyes,  nor  was  he  aware  that  the 
watchman  mistrusted  the  cupidity  of  Phil's  neighbors,  and 
was  in  reality  guarding  the  razor  which  had  been  care- 
lessly left  upon  the  table. 


CLOSE    TO    THE    BRINK        319 

"  You  ortent  to  leave  valuables  lyin'  about  loose  like 
that,"  said  the  watchman  reprovingly. 

"  Oh,  I  think  that  no  one  would  steal  it,"  rejoined  Phil. 

"  It  looks  like  a  good  one  to  me ;  and  that  there  f oldin' 
mirror  beats  anything  I  ever  saw.  How  are  you  f eelin'  ?  " 

"  I  have  just  about  lost  the  power  to  feel  anything,"  re- 
plied Phil  with  sorrowful  levity. 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  it  does  take  that  turn  toward  the  end," 
replied  the  watchman  thoughtfully.  "  It 's  what  my  old 
grandmother  used  to  call  the  dyin'  grace.  Is  the'  anything 
you  'd  like  to  have  me  do  ?  " 

Phil  saw  that  the  man's  sympathy  was  real,  even  though 
his  attempt  to  express  it  did  not  have  a  tendency  to  increase 
his  gaiety.  "  No,"  he  replied.  "  I  really  expect  to  get  a 
good,  long  sleep,  to-night." 

"  Well,  good  luck  to  ya,"  said  the  watchman.  He  half 
held  out  his  hand ;  but  as  Phil  did  not  notice  it,  he  turned 
and  walked  away.  "  A  good,  long  sleep,"  quoted  the 
watchman  to  himself.  "  He 's  goin'  to  do  it  to-night. 
The  's  somethin'  about  that  boy  that  draws  me  to  him,  an' 
yet  he  's  a  most  onsociable  cuss.  I  've  a  durn  good  mind 
to  stop  him,  an*  yet  I  don't  know  —  It  might  switch  the 
doom  over  to  me.  That  Dago  is  bound  to  have  company, 
and  I  ain't  ready  to  die.  Well,  death  ain't  no  stranger 
than  life." 

Candles  cost  eight  cents  each  at  the  company  store;  so 
Phil  expressed  his  opinion  of  this  skimming  both  sides  of 
the  milk,  by  sitting  in  the  darkness  and  smoking  pipe  after 
pipe  of  cheap  tobacco.  He  was  not  sleepy,  and  the  misery 
of  a  body  tortured  by  sleep-hunger,  and  yet  not  able  to 
sleep,  was  upon  him. 

Neither  could  he  think;  but  sat  in  a   daze   while  dis- 


320        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

sociated  ideas  floated  before  him  like  the  uncanny  forms 
we  see  through  the  crystal  of  a  dream.  A  strange  com- 
pany it  was,  which  paraded  before  the  lonely  boy  seated 
upon  the  rough  bunk  in  the  darkness,  which  was  made  all 
the  more  dense  by  the  occasional  glow  from  his  pipe: 
Colonel  Edgerton,  Hereford,  Miriam  Meyer,  whom  he 
had  known  as  Valerie,  Jennie  with  the  golden  hair,  old 
college  mates,  and  faces  which  he  did  not  recognize;  but 
which  peered  at  him  from  the  hazy  background  of  an  in- 
distinct crowd,  with  curious,  questioning  eyes;  and  last  of 
all  came  Edith. 

The  old,  well-bred  sneer  was  upon  her  lips,  the  old  chill 
of  disapproval  was  in  her  eyes  as  she  stood  looking  down 
upon  him  with  disdain.  What  right  had  she  to  reproach 
him ;  what  had  her  own  life  been  but  meek  submission  to 
precedent,  mechanical  acceptance  of  the  formal,  childish 
refusal  to  answer  the  great  calls  which  Life  made  to  her? 
It  was  easy  enough  to  condemn  another ;  but  what  had  she 
herself  ever  done,  or  what  had  she  ever  sacrificed? 

"  I  hate  you,  I  hate  you,"  Phil  cried  fiercely,  leaping  to 
his  feet  and  glaring  into  the  darkness. 

"  It  is  getting  close  to  the  end,  now,"  said  the  watchman, 
as  he  drew  still  farther  into  the  shielding  shadow. 


K.-OM' 


"  I  hate  you,  I  hate  you,  "  Phil  cried  fiercely. 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-NINE 

THE   GRIM   GRAY   VALLEY 

THE  watchman  was  uncertain  exactly  what  his  duty  would 
require  of  him  if  he  should  happen  to  be  present  when  the 
intended  began  the  operation  which  was  to  result  in  his 
becoming  the  late  lamented;  and  so  with  the  consistent 
human  dread  of  responsibility,  and  the  equally  consistent 
human  reluctance  to  miss  the  slightest  detail  of  a  sensa- 
tion, he  decided  to  make  one  round  as  hastily  as  possible, 
and  then  hurry  back  and  observe  from  the  clump  of  bushes 
opposite  Phil's  door. 

The  watchman  was  also  a  deputy  sheriff;  and  before  he 
had  finished  his  round,  Merton  had  found  him  and  sent 
him  to  arrest  the  Mexican  who  had  survived  a  heated  de- 
bate in  the  little  saloon  down  in  the  valley.  The  watch- 
man was  torn  to  emotional  shreds ;  but  he  could  discover 
no  adequate  excuse  which  would  not  force  him  to  expose 
the  doom  of  Fate,  and  so  he  hastened  to  take  up  the  trail 
of  the  Mexican,  who  had  fled  into  the  mountains  with  a 
fine  disregard  for  the  watchman's  temperament  and  cir- 
cumstance. 

There  were  no  men  about  the  shack;  but  if  there  had 
been,  Phil  would  not  have  noticed  it.  He  was  not  about 
the  shack  himself ;  he  was  upon  a  tiny,  bobbing  raft  called 
the  Earth,  and  the  only  other  survivor  was  Edith,  who 

321 


322        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

stood  facing  him.  He  spoke  to  her  in  low  tense  tones, 
which  came  most  often  between  set  teeth : 

"  You  sit  in  sheltered  ease  while  the  gifts  of  all  the  ages 
are  brought  and  piled  at  your  feet ;  but  what  have  you  done 
for  the  ages  yet  to  come ;  what  payment  to  the  future  have 
you  made  to  square  your  debt  to  the  past?  The  woman 
of  the  past  did  not  demand  success  as  part  of  the  capital 
with  which  to  begin  marriage.  She  was  willing  to  be  an 
help-mate,  not  the  idle  pet  of  a  man's  leisure. 

"  Look  back  for  a  moment  at  these  women  of  the  past 
—  your  ancestors  as  well  as  mine  —  they  have  skinned  wild 
beasts,  they  have  woven  baskets,  boats,  and  homes,  they 
have  spun,  they  have  gone  forth  into  the  unknown  wilder- 
ness, they  have  tilled  the  soil;  shoulder  to  shoulder  with 
man  they  have  fought  the  battle  which  wrested  the  very 
Earth  from  the  tyranny  of  Nature  and  turned  it  into  a 
garden  and  a  home ;  but  you,  and  your  type,  like  to  sit 
beneath  a  canopy  while  a  man  brings  the  laurel  wreath  he 
has  won,  and  tosses  it  into  your  hands. 

"  You  take  no  chances  yourself ;  but  you  are  very 
courageous  to  urge  a  man  to  risk  everything  for  the  worth- 
less bauble  of  your  cautious  love.  Love?  Bah,  you  are 
too  conventional,  too  discreet  to  love!  You  kiss  and 
fondle  and  caress  according  to  the  etiquette  in  vogue;  but 
there  is  no  bargaining  in  real  love,  and  your  entire  life  is 
but  a  succession  of  bargains.  What  is  the  cold,  formal 
ritualism  you  call  religion,  but  a  polished  bargaining  with 
God  Himself,  for  the  peace  of  your  own  soul?  You  go 
to  church  by  rote,  thinking  that  in  some  mysterious  way 
the  discomfort  you  suffer  by  being  bored  on  earth  will  pay 
your  rent  for  a  mansion  in  the  sky." 

Phil  did  not  know  what  he  was  saying;  he  was  in  the 


THE    GRIM    GRAY    VALLEY    323 

nervous  ecstasy  of  fanaticism;  the  emotions  which  had 
gathered  in  his  heart  for  months  were  now  forcing  their 
own  expression,  and  he  was  the  listener,  rather  than  the 
speaker  —  as  have  been  all  the  great  extemporaneous 
preachers,  and  as  were  all  those  exceptional  beings  who 
arose  from  the  common  levels,  flamed  across  the  zenith 
like  a  star,  and  drew  their  fellows  after  them  in  unques- 
tioning faith,  by  a  wonderful,  unreasoning  and  unreason- 
able magnetism.  Phil's  mind  was  not  able  to  retain  his 
words  or  his  logic;  but  was  concentrated  into  focusing  its 
entire  strength  upon  the  creative  feat  of  emotional  expres- 
sion. 

"  You  think  yourself  a  type  of  supremacy,"  he  con- 
tinued, still  talking  to  the  woman  he  saw  plainly  before 
him,  "  but  you  are  a  type  of  failure.  The  kings,  the  cap- 
tains, and  the  men  of  wealth  throughout  history,  strove 
to  wall  in  their  own  blood  and  dam  back  the  rush  of 
human  desires ;  but  their  ambition  always  turned  to  folly, 
and  the  ones  they  tried  to  disinherit  have  always  laughed 
them  to  scorn.  Inheritance  is  a  single  chain,  but  every 
link  of  it  is  an  individual  link  with  the  full  completeness 
of  a  circle.  A  child  cannot  start  where  his  parents 
stopped ;  he  must  live  through  every  age  of  the  race,  and 
then,  if  he  be  of  those  who  lead  the  van,  he  must  launch 
out  into  the  unknown,  to  risk  his  unearned  ease  in  the  bat- 
tles which  must  still  be  fought. 

"  I  have  failed ;  I  am  ready  to  stand  at  the  fountain  and 
in  the  market  place,  and  shout  aloud  to  all  the  world  that 
I  have  failed ;  but  you  have  never  even  tried ;  and  you  are 
like  a  stone  which  never  has  felt  life,  while  I  am  like  the 
spent  body  of  a  starving  wolf.  My  very  failure  has  given 
me  the  sensations  of  victory,  even  as  freezing  gives  the 


324        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

sensation  of  warmth;  while  you  are  as  devoid  of  genuine 
sensations  as  an  image  of  wood  or  clay.  No,  I  do  not  hate 
you,  I  despise  you !  " 

Phil  put  all  his  remaining  strength  into  this  last  re- 
mark, spoken  though  it  was  in  a  hoarse  guttural,  and  then 
sank  to  the  bunk,  his  folded  arms  resting  upon  the  rough 
table,  his  face  in  the  crook  of  his  elbow.  He  was  weak 
and  spent  with  his  effort,  and  for  a  time  his  consciousness 
faded  away  into  a  stupor. 

A  slight  breeze  had  been  blowing  during  the  afternoon; 
but  when  men  had  raised  their  eyes  from  the  shadow  of 
the  valley  to  the  splendid  purples  of  twilight  upon  the 
peaks,  the  gorgeous  banners  of  departing  day,  the  sun  had 
set,  and  the  breeze  had  died  with  the  sun.  The  heavy, 
suffocating  smoke  from  the  furnace  had  settled  into  the 
little  pocket  where  the  shacks  stood;  and  perhaps  it  was 
only  the  gases  in  this  smoke  which  had  given  Phil  the 
power  to  express  himself  with  an  eloquence  of  which 
normally  he  was  utterly  incapable.  Now,  in  his  stupor, 
the  smoke  was  binding  his  chest  as  with  a  band  of  steel, 
and  his  breath  came  in  gasps. 

When  Phil  once  more  came  into  contact  with  reality,  the 
men  had  gathered  into  little  groups.  Carefree  and  un- 
sensitive  as  most  of  them  were,  the  smoke  was  not  able  to 
overcome  them,  and  they  laughed,  told  stories,  or  sang 
to  the  mellow  tinkling  of  Juan's  guitar;  but  Phil  con- 
tinued to  sit  by  himself,  smoking  the  corncob  pipe,  until 
the  moon  floated  into  the  sky,  and  the  mountain  peaks 
above  the  bank  of  dun,  sulphurous  smoke  were  crested 
with  beautiful,  dazzling  silver. 

The  men  retired  early  according  to  their  custom;  but 
the  fever  which  had  returned  to  Phil's  blood  seemed  burn- 


THE    GRIM    GRAY    VALLEY    325 

ing  the  very  brain  with  which  he  tried  to  think.  His 
skin  was  dry  and  parched,  and  the  tepid  water  did  not 
allay  his  thirst,  while  his  constant  drinking  of  it  only 
added  to  his  misery.  If,  for  only  five  minutes  he  could 
become  cool,  he  could  fall  asleep;  but  the  dazed  wake- 
fulness  of  insanity  was  upon  him,  and  he  sat  staring  into 
the  moonlight  with  eyes  which  glittered  like  the  eyes  of 
a  tiger  at  bay. 

The  moonlight  flowed  in  through  his  open  door,  touched 
the  hard  furniture  of  his  room  with  magic,  softening  the 
rough  lines  and  turning  them  into  shimmering  outlines  of 
beauty  —  but  Phil  saw  none  of  this.  His  face  was  in  the 
shadow;  but  the  top  of  his  little  table  —  almost  the  only 
thing  in  the  world  which  he  had  made  with  his  own 
hands  —  lay  exposed  to  the  full  brilliancy  of  the  moon- 
light; and  as  his  eyes  fell  upon  it,  they  rested  with  dull 
inattention  upon  the  razor  he  had  neglected  to  put  away. 

There  was  one  spot  on  the  back  of  the  closed  blade  which 
tossed  out  scintillations  like  a  flawless  diamond,  and  his 
gaze  was  drawn  to  this  spot  and  held,  but  still  without 
arousing  his  interest.  He  was  weakly  yielding  to  the 
moaning  loneliness  of  his  empty  room  which  seemed  the 
fit  symbol  of  his  empty  life,  and  the  razor,  as  a  razor, 
offered  no  suggestion.  But  the  spot  of  living  light  con- 
tinued to  hold  his  gaze,  and  after  a  time  he  opened  the 
razor  to  see  what  the  effect  would  be  upon  the  more  highly 
polished  surface  which  was  hidden  by  the  handle. 

The  moonlight  cast  a  pale  reflection  from  the  razor  into 
the  dark  shadows,  and  he  flashed  it  about  the  room  child- 
ishly. The  fitfulness  of  fever  soon  destroyed  the  novelty, 
and  he  laid  the  open  razor  upon  the  table  and  sighed. 
The  next  time  his  glance  fell  upon  the  razor,  he  was 


326        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

struck  by  the  delicious  coolness  of  its  appearance.  He 
raised  it  and  pressed  it  to  his  dry  cheek;  it  was  cool, 
thrillingly  cool.  He  turned  the  other  side  and  laid  it 
against  his  other  cheek.  As  he  did  so  a  thought  ran 
through  him  with  an  electric  shock  —  It  was  with  a  razor 
that  the  former  occupant  of  this  room  had  ended  it  all. 
Why  not  himself? 

He  tried  to  thrust  the  thought  from  him ;  he  tried  to  re- 
call all  of  his  own  former  contempt  for  the  suicide;  he 
pleaded  with  himself  to  see  that,  excuse  it  as  we  will, 
suicide  is  simply  a  disorderly  retreat,  a  cowardly  admis- 
sion that  future  existence  is  too  fearsome  to  be  encoun- 
tered ;  but  ever  in  answer  to  his  fervid  arguments,  came 
the  cold  silent  suggestion  —  one  quick,  painless  stroke 
across  his  throat,  and  he  would  be  free,  free  from  loneli- 
ness, free  from  responsibility,  free  from  reproaches  — 
free  from  it  all. 

He  glanced  down  at  the  floor,  and  there,  close  to  the 
threshold,  lay  the  black,  still  form.  Partly  in  the  moon- 
light, partly  in  the  shadow  it  lay,  just  as  it  had  lain  all 
these  weeks;  but  now  there  was  no  distorted  agony  in  the 
pose.  Instead  there  was  a  beautiful  peacefulness,  such  as 
he  remembered  having  seen  in  the  face  of  a  sleeping 
baby. 

When  the  wires  of  the  brain  become  tangled  and  crossed, 
weird,  uncanny  things  are  sure  to  happen.  Phil  had 
never  seen  the  features  of  this  black,  still  form  before; 
but  he  saw  them  plainly  now.  They  were  refined,  deli- 
cate, sensitive;  they  seemed  for  music  and  art  and  luxuri- 
ous surroundings,  rather  than  for  the  rough  ways  of  a 
mining  camp;  and  Phil  wondered  what  had  driven  this1 
boy  from  far  off  Italy  to  a  land  where  they  would  call 


THE  GRIM  GRAY  VALLEY  327 

him  Dago  when  his  homesick  heajt  was  eating  itself  out 
for  the  glance  of  familiar  friendship  beaming  from  a  com- 
rade's eyes ;  where  the  warm  emotions  of  his  nature  would 
be  frozen  by  western  flippancy,  where  Life  would  hold 
him  off  with  cold  hands,  until  at  last  he  sought  the  warmer 
embrace  of  Death.  Phil  closed  his  eyelids  tight  to  shut 
out  the  face  and  to  shut  in  the  tears,  for  he  felt  himself 
bound  to  this  boy  by  the  chains  of  a  kindred  misery. 

Phil  shuddered  as  he  caught  his  fingers  upon  the  throb- 
bing pulse  in  his  neck;  he  clenched  his  hands  in  despera- 
tion as  the  thought  stole  insidiously  into  his  mind,  that  a 
deep  cut  was  no  more  painful  than  a  shallow  one,  and 
that  bleeding  to  death  gave  back  the  same  sensations  as 
gently  falling  asleep.  All  the  weird  knowledge  he  had 
learned  from  the  waifs  on  the  Plaza  in  front  of  the  Chi- 
nese Mission,  returned  to  reassure  him;  while  in  opposi- 
tion, there  was  no  voice  except  the  code  of  his  former 
life,  the  life  which  had  utterly  cast  out  and  forgotten 
him. 

Trembling  nervously,  he  leaned  his  elbows  upon  the 
table  and  clasped  his  forehead.  Was  this  to  be  the  end 
of  it?  After  a  boyhood  filled  with  boyish  victories,  was 
this  to  be  the  best  fruit  of  his  manhood?  He  had  no  de- 
sire to  live;  he  had  no  fear  of  death;  but  suicide,  sneak- 
ing from  the  field  before  the  battle  was  done;  was  this  to 
be  his  choice,  was  this  to  be  the  end  of  it  all? 

He  had  never  thought  deeply  about  religion,  his  mother 
having  died  when  he  was  very  young,  and  his  father  hav- 
ing been  a  careless  man  who  had  used  dissipation's  by- 
path to  avoid  the  deeper  questions  of  the  soul.  It  was 
from  no  fear  of  hell  that  he  hesitated;  but  he  did  dread 
the  verdict  of  the  world  —  as  it  would  be  expressed  in  the 


328        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

scornful  smile  of  a  girl;  for  he  felt  that  this  would  be 
Edith's  tribute  to  his  memory. 

He  had  heard  of  self  hypnotism;  and  as  a  last  resort, 
he  fixed  his  gaze  upon  the  dazzling  spot  on  the  blade  and 
held  his  eyes  steadily  upon  it  while  he  tried  with  all  his 
might  to  will  sleep.  Minute  after  minute  he  sat  without 
moving;  but  constantly  conscious  of  the  mighty  combat  be- 
tween the  desire  to  live  and  the  desire  to  die.  He  felt 
himself  growing  calmer,  and  then  the  hot,  lazy  breeze 
which  had  arisen,  blew  some  of  the  poisonous  smoke  into 
his  face  with  what  seemed  a  deliberate  insult.  It  was  the 
last  straw;  he  saw  an  endless  chain  of  to-morrow's  in  that 
hell-like  furnace;  and  suddenly  stretching  out  his  hand,  he 
seized  the  razor,  and  held  its  heel  under  the  curve  of  his 
jaw  to  give  a  long,  sliding  stroke.  "  I  do  not  blame  you 
the  slightest  bit,"  he  whispered.  "  Throughout  eternity,  I 
take  it  all  upon  myself." 

And  with  his  head  thrown  back,  he  drew  the  razor 
across  his  throat  with  a  deep,  firm  stroke. 


CHAPTER  THIRTY 

OUTSIDE  THE   WORLD 

IT  was  all  very  different  from  what  Phil  had  expected. 
He  had  rather  looked  for  the  cutting  to  be  comparatively 
painless;  but  had  anticipated  a  last  terrible  agony  when 
the  soul  actually  left  the  body.  There  had  been  none. 
It  had  been  as  the  woman  with  the  sore  upon  her  lip  had 
told  him  it  was  —  she  had  tried  but  they  had  found  her 
in  time  and  were  able  to  save  her  life  because  her  hand 
had  been  too  weak  to  sever  the  larger  veins ;  but  she  had 
fainted  from  loss  of  blood,  and  knew  just  how  it  would 
have  been  if  they  had  not  thought  it  best  to  make  her  taste 
constant  death  upon  the  street,  instead  of  having  done  with 
it  once  and  for  all. 

She  had  assured  him  that  it  was  just  like  falling  asleep, 
and  so  it  had  been.  Not  fighting  for  sleep  as  he  had  been 
forced  to  do  of  late ;  but  just  drifting  peacefully  away  on  a 
cloud,  as  he  used  to  do  during  the  rounded  days  of  his 
youth ;  but  the  fact  which  surprised  him  most,  was  that  he 
had  lost  consciousness  for  only  the  briefest  instant.  And 
oh,  the  joy  of  coming  into  that  new  consciousness! 

All  the  heat  and  weariness  had  left  him  and  as  he  drew 
a  deep,  full  breath,  it  seemed  to  go  into  every  cleft  and 
crevice  of  his  lungs  and  through  every  vein  of  his  being, 
tingling  and  giving  new  life,  as  it  rushed  in  a  joyous  surge 

329 


330        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

to  the  uttermost  parts  of  his  body.  His  body?  He  had 
no  body. 

That  broken  and  useless  shell  leaning  against  the  bunk 
had  once  been  his  body ;  and  it  was  the  freedom  from  this 
old,  torturing  burden  which  gave  him  such  an  ecstatic  sense 
of  strength  and  buoyancy.  He  examined  himself  care- 
fully and  was  rejoiced  to  see  that  while  he  had  no  ma- 
terial composition,  he  possessed  a  filmy,  cloudlike  form 
very  similar  to  his  old  Earth  shape. 

This  made  him  very  happy;  because  he  recalled  a  theory 
which  claimed  that,  having  no  use  for  members  or  func- 
tions, all  spirits  would  be  spherical,  and  it  would  have 
been  quite  difficult  to  distinguish  one  sphere  from  an- 
other. Moreover,  in  spite  of  the  trouble  which  his  body 
had  been  to  him,  he  had  formed  a  peculiar  liking  for  its 
lines  and  curves.  In  his  joy  of  his  spirit  body,  the 
thought  of  all  spirits  being  spheres  seemed  very  amusing, 
and  he  laughed  his  old  free  laugh  ~  but  his  laughter  made 
no  sound. 

He  was  above  his  body,  that  is  above  the  old,  outgrown 
shell,  and  looking  down  upon  it;  but  as  he  raised  his  eyes 
to  see  if  there  was  anything  else  within  the  range  of  his 
vision,  he  found  himself  in  the  midst  of  a  great,  green 
meadow,  bordered  by  trees  and  traversed  by  a  beautiful 
winding  stream.  The  deep  green  grass  was  like  the  most 
beautiful  of  carpets,  and  it  was  joy  unutterable  merely  to 
walk  upon  it  with  feet  which  fell  as  light  as  thistle  down, 
yet  bearing  him  onward  with  a  motion  which  resembled 
floating.  It  was  cool,  delightfully  cool,  that  wonderful 
coolness  which  invigorates  without  chilling. 

He  walked,  or  rather  floated,  along  the  bank  of  the 
stream  until  he  came  to  the  edge  of  the  forest,  where  he 


OUTSIDE   THE    WORLD        331 

threw  himself  upon  the  velvety  bank  and  listened  to  the 
rich  melody  of  the  birds  which  were  whistling  and  sing- 
ing as  if  they  too,  had  just  come  into  a  wonderful  new 
life.  Presently  he  fell  to  wondering  why  there  was  no 
other  human  spirit  to  give  him  company. 

While  speculating  thus,  a  long  procession  came  out  of 
the  forest  near  where  he  was  sitting,  lads  and  lasses,  little 
children  and  elderly  seniors,  strong  men  and  beautiful 
women;  some  playing  upon  musical  instruments,  some 
dancing,  some  singing,  but  all  joyful,  all  radiant,  all  full 
to  overflowing  with  a  vast,  exuberant  content. 

As  they  came  up  to  Phil,  they  called  upon  him  joyfully 
to  join  them.  Phil  rose  and  feeling  the  spirit  of  their  joy 
upon  him,  he  also  broke  into  a  glad  song  of  thanks- 
giving, as  spontaneous  and  as  tuneful  as  the  song  of  the 
birds. 

The  procession  wound  slowly  along  the  bank  of  the 
stream,  and  as  they  walked  the  spirits  gathered  beautiful 
flowers  and  wove  them  into  wreaths  and  garlands  which 
they  hung  about  one  another's  shoulders. 

After  they  had  crossed  the  meadow  and  had  started  to 
enter  the  forest  upon  the  opposite  side,  Phil  felt  some  ir- 
resistible force  holding  him  back.  With  all  his  might,  he 
longed  to  go  forward;  but  for  all  his  efforts,  he  could  go 
no  farther. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ?  "  he  finally  asked  a  tall,  grace- 
ful maiden.  "  And  why  cannot  I  go  with  you?  " 

"  We  are  going  to  the  Beautiful  Country,  where  the 
prayers  have  become  flowers  and  the  hymris  have  become 
birds,  where  the  palaces  and  the  choirs  are,  where  hope 
changes  into  joy,  and  where  there  is  naught  but  love  for- 
ever and  ever." 


332        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

~  But  why  cannot  I  go  with  yon? "  pleaded  Phil  like  a 
tittle  child. 

"That  I  do  not  know,"  replied  the  maiden  gravely,  as 
die  passed  on  with  the  others,  leaving  him  lonely  and  sor- 
rowfial  in  the  midst  of  the  great  green  meadow,  beside  the 
flowing  stream. 

He  wandered  along  the  edge  of  the  forest  for  a  period ; 
but  be  saw  no  more  y^hy  and  so  turned  sadly  away  to 
cross  the  meadow  once  more.  Just  as  he  turned  away, 
a  great,  gray  form  came  bounding  out  of  the  forest  He 
soon  saw  that  it  was  a  dog,  which,  on  coming  closer  to 
him,  gave  wild  barks  of  joy,  and  leaped  high  into  the  air. 
His  skin  shone  like  burnished  satin  and  his  gleeful  bounds 
were  the  most  graceful  movements  which  Phfl  had  ever 
seen. 

Just  before  the  dog  reached  him,  Phil  recognized  him 
as  the  Great  Dane  he  had  bought  from  the  Uncle  Tom's 
Cabin  troupe,  the  dog  he  had  sent  to  Edith,  the  dog  he 
had  cared  for  in  his  lavish,  impulsive  way,  and  who  had 
died  in  his  own  room,  a  rough  paw  lying  contentedly  in  his 
band.  A  feeling  of  tears,  tears  of  relief  and  joy,  came  to 
FlnTs  eyes,  and  he  exclaimed  with  a  delight  which  sur- 
prised even  himself  as  mdirarmg  how  lonely  he  was  be- 
ginning to  fed;  "Why,  Simon!  do  yon  know  me,  do  you 
know  me?" 

The  dog  bounded  to  him  and  stood  with  upraised  head 
and  the  entile  length  of  bis  graceful  body,  swaying  to  and 
fro  with  the  movement  of  his  expressive  taiL  Phil 
stooped  and  took  the  dog's  head  between  his  two  hands, 
pteuiug  his  own  cheek  against  the  satin  cheek  of  the  dog, 
and  mumbfing  the  incoherent  tenderness  whkh  is  the  only 


OUTSIDE   THE   WORLD       333 

expression  for  those  rare  armumtm.  when  joy  startles  us 
its  ""*»Mttf< 


But  after  caressing  the  dog  for  a  space,  he  stood  erect 
and  looked  at  him  sadly.  "I  "TT^"  tin*  you  wil  not 
stay  with  me  either,"  he  said  wistfully.  However,  when 
he  started  across  the  meadow,  the  great  Dane  walked  at 
his  side,  or  ran  far  ahead  'and  then  galloped  back  to  him  ; 
until  Phil  caught  some  of  the  dog's  enthusiasm  and  began 
to  hope  for  better  tilings. 

As  they  neared  the  opposite  side  of  the  meadow,  a  tall 
form  robed  in  black  and  bearing  a  heavy  burden,  came 
out  of  the  forest.  When  Fml  drew  near  he  laid  his  bur- 
den upon  the  rich  giant  and  asked  in  a  calm,  deep  voice, 
"  Pmnp,  what  is  it  yon  wish  to  know?" 

"  Well,  in  the  first  place,  I  want  to  know  why  I  cannot 
go  on  to  the  BoHrtifiil  Country,  and  in  the  *M*"^F  how 
long  may  £  keep  this  dog?  " 

After  asking  these  questions,  Phfl  could  not  help  but 
feel  that  they  were  exceedingly  trivial;  but  the  black-robed 
figure  seemed  to  SBC  ntMnugr  unusual  in  ^**^  and  answered 
in  the  same  even  voice;  "Yon  cannot  go  on  to  the  Beauti- 
ful Country  because  this  is  your  nuuiihueBft  for  having 
been  a  coward  and  a  dtautur.  You  would  not  wait  for 
the  h."™!1**  to  jntind  recall  ;  bat  Che  a  cutui  you  threw 
o^wn  your  arms  and  fled  from  the  nridst  of  batde.  Think 
not  that  I  qrmlr  with  fii'ilrinr"!.  for  I  too  was  a  deserter. 
even  as  JIM  were.  For  a  period  you  may  stay  in  this 
[ffiwffHI  iBBidffw  and  ""tE**  *rim  those  who  pass  through 
on  their  way  to  the  TVaM|M«l  Country.  You  cannot  re- 
turn whence  they  came,  neither  can  you  go  on  whither  they 
are  journeying;  but  here  in  this  meadow  yon  may  bold 


334        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

communion  with  them,  so  that  the  remembrance  of  their 
joy  may  strengthen  you  to  the  fulfillment  of  your  duty. 

"  For  after  a  time,  you  will  wish  to  take  up  your  griev- 
ous and  detestable  burden  and  pay  your  penalty,  even  as 
I  am  paying  mine.  That  beautiful  body  which  was  given 
you  for  your  Earth  life,  you  did  not  prize ;  but  allowed  to 
become  weak  and  unclean,  and  finally  with  a  wanton  hand, 
did  you  destroy  it.  Now,  for  this  great  sin,  that  same  body 
must  become  the  most  loathsome  part  of  your  burden  and 
until  the  time  of  your  fulfillment  you  must  always  bear  it 
with  you;  save  only  that  when  you  do  some  service  for 
another,  you  are  permitted  to  lay  your  own  burden  upon 
the  ground.  This  also  was  your  recompense  in  that 
Earth  life  which  you  so  lightly  tossed  aside  before  its 
lessons  were  half  learned.  This  is  one  of  the  saddest 
truths  I  have  learned  of  my  own  former  folly,  that  my 
selfishness,  instead  of  bringing  me  pleasure,  was  in  reality 
the  greatest  of  my  burdens. 

"  When  you  begin  your  labors,  your  sins  and  your 
broken  body  will  be  your  burden,  and  your  deeds  of  kind- 
ness will  form  a  mystical  pad  for  your  shoulder.  As  you 
progress,  your  burden  will  become  lighter  while  you  will 
become  stronger;  until  at  last  it  will  fade  away  entirely 
and  you  will  stand  forth,  free  and  upright  to  take  up  your 
journey  into  the  Beautiful  Country. 

"  As  for  the  dog,  you  may  keep  him  as  long  as  you  will. 
It  is  a  good  thing  for  the  soul  of  a  man  when  the  soul  of 
a  dumb  creature  remembers  him  gratefully.  You  were  a 
comfort  to  him;  and  he  will  be  a  comfort  to  you.  As  in 
that  former  life  you  were  master  of  your  own  actions,  so 
in  this.  When  you  are  sure  that  you  are  ready  to  begin 
your  service,  come  to  this  spot  and  call,  Earnius,  and  I 


OUTSIDE    THE    WORLD        335 

shall  come;  but  remember,  that  when  you  once  take  up 
your  burden  you  must  bear  it,  even  unto  the  end." 

The  black-robed  figure  took  up  its  burden  and  returned 
into  the  forest,  leaving  Phil  with  his  hand  resting  upon 
the  head  of  the  gray  dog,  whose  soft,  sorrowful  eyes  were 
filled  with  tender  sympathy. 

And  what  a  comfort  the  dog  was  to  him;  always  at  his 
side,  always  loving,  always  eager  to  cheer  him  by  every 
means  in  a  dog's  power.  They  stayed  in  the  meadow  for 
a  period,  but  whether  it  was  long  or  short,  Phil  could  not 
tell ;  for  there  was  neither  the  glare  of  moon  nor  the  dark- 
ness of  night,  but  always  a  soft,  pleasant  light,  like  the 
twilight  of  a  perfect  day. 

Many  white-robed  processions  passed  through  on  their 
way  to  the  Beautiful  Country.  In  one  was  an  aged 
woman  —  beautiful  with  a  transfiguring  beauty;  which, 
while  it  in  no  way  obscured  her  identity,  made  her  as  per- 
fect and  satisfying  to  his  artistic  sense,  as  were  the  young 
men  and  the  maidens. 

She  greeted  him  with  every  mark  of  love  and  gratitude, 
and  it  suddenly  dawned  upon  him  that  this  beautiful  spirit 
had  been  the  old  apple  woman  who  had  benefited  by  an- 
other of  his  acts,  as  impulsive  and  unreasonable  as  the  one 
which  had  given  the  dog  a  taste  of  what  the  whole  world 
will  be  when  its  inhabitants  are  ruled  by  love. 

She  was  filled  with  sorrow  when  he  told  her  of  his  con- 
dition, and  she  stepped  from  the  procession  and  said  that 
she  too  would  stay  with  him  to  comfort  him,  for  he  had 
been  a  great  comfort  to  her  through  the  storms  of  the  last 
winter,  and  that  her  boy  had  taken  charge  of  the  stand 
and  would  get  along  in  a  way  he  could  never  have  done 
without  Phil's  kindness.  Phil  felt  ashamed  to  think  of 


336        THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

the  little  he  had  done  for  her,  and  urged  her  to  go  on  into 
the  reward  she  had  so  honestly  earned;  but  she  shook  her 
head  with  a  smile  which  scattered  over  him  some  of  that 
divine  love  which  passes  understanding. 

But  even  as  he  could  not  go  on  with  her,  neither  could 
she  stay  to  comfort  him.  Each  had  chosen  his  own  lot, 
and  each  must  abide  by  the  decision.  When  she  felt  a 
force  drawing  her  on,  she  urged  Phil  to  begin  his  service 
at  once,  and  finish  as  quickly  and  as  bravely  as  possible. 
As  she  vanished  into  the  depths  of  the  forest,  she  turned 
and  waved  her  hand,  and  after  that  the  meadow  did  not 
look  so  green  or  beautiful. 

This  was  the  only  spirit  which  he  recognized,  and  as  he 
looked  back  at  his  wasted  life,  he  wondered  if  all  of  its 
activities  had  been  hollow  and  meaningless  except  these 
two  impulsive  acts  of  charity,  of  charity  which  was  a  giv- 
ing not  of  money  alone,  but  of  himself  as  well. 

After  this,  the  meadow,  at  first  so  beautiful,  grew  very 
wearisome  and  he  longed  for  release.  He  knew  that  the 
longer  he  postponed  it  the  harder  it  would  be;  but  the 
thought  of  bearing  that  ghastly  carcass  wherever  he  went 
was  too  horrible,  and  he  would  shudder  and  turn  away. 

Ah,  how  he  longed  for  one  more  chance  on  the  old 
Earth.  With  the  whole  world  to  choose  from,  he  had 
wasted  his  manhood  in  idleness,  folly,  and  futile  endeavor; 
and  then  with  his  own  hand  had  sentenced  his  memory  to 
disgrace  and  his  soul  to  torment. 

At  last  he  could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  going  to  the 
edge  of  the  forest,  he  called  in  a  loud,  clear  voice, 
"  Earnius,  Earnius." 

Instantly  from  out  the  forest  came  the  form  of  the  black- 
robed  Earnius  with  a  tender  smile  upon  his  lips;  and  as 


OUTSIDE    THE    WORLD        337 

Phil  looked  closely,  he  saw  that  the  burden  which  he  bore 
had  become  smaller. 

"  Are  you  ready,  Philip  ?  "  asked  Earnius  gravely. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Phil  as  bravely  as  possible,  "  I  am 
ready." 

They  gazed  long  into  each  other's  faces.  The  eyes  of 
Earnius  were  infinitely  sad,  not  with  resentment  against 
persecution;  but  with  that  deeper  sadness  which  enters 
heartily  into  the  spirit  and  meaning  of  penitence  and  which 
expresses  an  outpouring  love  for  the  hand  which  admin- 
isters the  punishment  and  appreciation  for  the  tender  love 
which  yearns  for  the  period  of  probation  to  be  over.  The 
eyes  were  the  eyes  of  a  martyr  looking  out  through  the 
gloom  of  temporary  bitterness  to  the  glory  of  eternal  re- 
ward. They  reminded  Phil  of  the  moonlight,  splashing 
the  mountain  peaks  above  the  bank  of  smoke;  and  the 
humble  but  undoubting  confidence  in  them  inspired  Phil 
with  hope. 

They  set  off  together  on  a  small  dreary  path  through 
the  forest,  Earnius,  Philip,  and  the  great  gray  dog. 
After  a  long  journey  they  came  to  a  place  so  ghastly  and 
ghoulish,  that  Phil  became  faint  and  closed  his  eyes  to 
ease  their  torture.  His  right  hand  clutched  the  robe  of 
his  guide,  his  left  hand  rested  upon  the  head  of  the  dog, 
and  thus  he  stumbled  painfully  through  the  chaotic  wreck- 
age of  a  rebellious  world.  When  he  opened  his  eyes,  he 
found  himself  in  a  gloomy,  roaring  cave;  and  there,  on  a 
slimy  shelf  of  stone,  lay  his  old,  broken  body. 

It  was  a  sickening  sight,  and  Phil  felt  that  come  what 
would,  he  could  not  touch  it,  let  alone  add  it  to  the  burden 
of  his  sins ;  and  he  drew  back  trembling  and  sobbing. 
Earnius  stood  silent  and  unmoved,  waiting  for  Phil  to 


338        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

gain  control  of  himself;  but  in  his  face  was  a  strength 
which  launched  itself  forth  freely  and  without  stint.  The 
dog,  his  eyes  filled  with  that  wonderful  trust  which  only 
a  dog's  eyes  can  show,  stood  with  his  head  on  one  side, 
waiting  with  perfect  confidence  for  Phil  to  do  that  which 
would,  of  course,  be  the  right  thing  to  do;  and  this  it  was 
which  gave  him  strength. 

A  black  robe,  such  as  Earnius  wore  was  hanging  beside 
the  shelf,  a  piece  of  black  leather  fitted  with  thongs  was 
folded  beside  the  hideous  object  which  had  once  been  his 
body,  and  Phil  knew  that  he  must  wrap  this  body  in  the 
leather  with  his  own  hands;  must  touch  it,  fold  the  rot- 
ting members,  bind  it  into  a  pack,  and  take  it  upon  his  shoul- 
der; and  the  thought  repulsed  him  and  made  him  turn 
shuddering  away. 

But  again  the  sight  of  the  calm,  silent  Earnius,  and  the 
patient,  trustful  dog,  stimulated  his  courage;  and  tearing 
down  and  trampling  upon  his  weakness,  he  started  for- 
ward, reached  forth  his  hand  to  the  body ;  and  then  paused 
as  a  blinding  flash  smote  him  in  the  eyes. 


CHAPTER  THIRTY-ONE 

INITIAL  STEPS 

FOR  a  long  time  Phil  Lytton  sat  without  moving,  a  won- 
dering unbelief  in  his  eyes.  He  felt  no  doubt  with  re- 
gard to  Earnius  or  the  great  gray  dog;  but  he  was  un- 
able to  comprehend  the  material  world  upon  which  he  was 
gazing  as  though  for  the  first  time. 

He  was  back  in  the  little  shack  in  the  mountains  and  it 
had  been  the  first  rays  of  the  rising  sun  which  had  caressed 
his  head,  causing  him  to  look  upward  at  the  very  sun  it- 
self. He  was  still  sitting  at  the  little  table  upon  which  lay 
the  razor,  smooth  and  bright  as  when  he  had  pressed  it 
against  his  cheek.  The  fever  which  had  been  raging  in 
his  blood  had  burned  itself  out,  leaving  his  mind  clear  with 
that  disinfecting  cleanliness  akin  to  new  birth.  He  dared 
not  move  for  fear  some  of  the  familiar  pain  and  dullness 
would  return;  and  so  he  sat  and  looked  through  his  open 
door  at  a  world  he  had  never  before  seen. 

A  breeze  had  swept  all  the  smoke  from  the  valley,  and  in 
the  modesty  of  its  morning  bath  in  the  gentle  sunshine,  it 
was  beautiful  and  charming.  A  great  flood  of  thankful- 
ness was  in  Phil's  heart,  and  a  friendliness  so  high  and 
pure  that  he  could  not  only  include  all  those  whom  he  had 
ever  known,  in  a  warm,  impersonal  embrace;  but  could 
even  sympathize  with,  and  forgive,  the  man  he  had 
formerly  been. 

339 


340        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  Philip  Lytton,"  he  said  soberly,  as  one  man  to  an- 
other, "  you  committed  suicide  last  night  as  surely  as  a  man 
ever  did;  and  you  must  pay  your  debt  as  fully  as  you 
would  have  had  to,  had  your  vision  been  true.  In  begin- 
ning a  new  life,  your  old  past  with  its  wasted  hours  and 
slighted  opportunities,  must  hang  about  your  neck;  until, 
through  deeds  of  service  to  others,  it  will  fall  from  you 
little  by  little,  and  you  can  continue  your  journey,  per- 
haps —  perhaps  even  on  to  the  Beautiful  Country.  Oh," 
—  breaking  forth  in  spontaneous  expression  — "  I  am 
thankful,  I  am  thankful !  " 

He  arose  and  shook  himself ;  but  it  brought  no  return  of 
pain  or  weakness,  and  he  went  to  the  little  stream  and  took 
a  cold,  invigorating  plunge.  After  putting  on  the  clean 
clothes  he  had  washed  the  day  before,  he  ate  his  break- 
fast and  called  at  the  office  for  his  time.  He  had  been  at 
work  for  more  than  a  month  and  had  thirty-one  dollars 
coming  to  him  after  his  debts  had  been  subtracted. 

He  slipped  the  check  into  his  pocket  with  a  feeling  of 
comfort,  rolled  his  few  belongings  in  his  blanket,  and  sat 
on  his  bunk  to  think  what  he  should  do  next.  He  saw  the 
men  in  a  new  light  now,  he  saw  that  they  had  made  ad- 
vances to  him,  had  honestly  wanted  to  be  friendly  with 
him ;  but  that  it  had  been  his  own  snobbishness  which  had 
insisted  upon  exclusion ;  and  now  he  wanted  to  go  to  them, 
shake  hands  heartily,  thank  them  for  what  they  had  tried 
to  do,  and  let  them  see  that  it  was  not  his  true  self  which 
had  repulsed  them,  but  an  artificial  barrier  composed  of 
fever,  weakness,  and  the  remnants  of  his  own  former  life 
of  heartless  trivialities.  And  he  also  wanted  to  say  fare- 
well to  the  Lady  Barber. 

It  took  him  some  time  to  consider  all  this,  and  noon  had 


INITIAL   STEPS  341 

come  before  he  was  ready;  so  he  ate  one  more  meal  with 
them,  and  told  them,  as  frankly  as  one  speaks  to  well- 
tried  friends,  that  he  had  not  been  himself  before;  but 
that  he  did  appreciate  their  kindliness;  and  the  warm 
hearts  beneath  the  soiled  shirts  grew  soft,  the  eyes  which 
beamed  into  his  glistened  with  shy  affection,  and  one 
and  all  wished  that  they  had  done  more  for  him.  As 
Phil  shook  hands  with  the  few  who  had  been  thrown  with 
him  most,  the  remainder  whispered  among  themselves 
that  he  was  a  blame  good  "  feller "  after  all ;  and  there 
was  much  love  in  the  rough  mining  camp  of  New 
Hygia. 

Just  as  Phil  passed  the  blacksmith  shop  on  his  way  to 
the  Lady  Barber,  he  came  face  to  face  with  Merton.  The 
change  in  Phil's  face  should  have  been  apparent  to  even  a 
human  mosquito  like  Merton;  but  the  assistant  superin- 
tendent stopped  directly  in  front  of  him  and  said  in  his 
narrow,  jeering  way,  "  Good  afternoon,  Mister  Latham. 
I  understand  that  we  are  to  lose  the  pleasure  of  your  com- 
pany. It  will  grieve  us  deeply;  but  as  I  presume  you  will 
soon  be  associating  with  other  gentlemen  of  leisure,  we 
shall  try  to  rejoice  in  your  good  fortune." 

Phil  looked  at  Merton  gravely.  He  was  disappointed 
that  a  cloud  had  come  into  his  clear  sky,  and  at  first  he 
tried  to  walk  around  Merton  without  speaking;  but  the 
Assistant  Superintendent  was  not  to  be  robbed  of  his  last 
opportunity  to  irritate  one  who  had  offended  him  by  ac- 
tually possessing  the  very  development  which  he  himself 
pretended ;  so  he  again  stepped  in  front  of  Phil. 

A  large  group  of  workmen  were  gathered  near  the  black- 
smith shop,  and  it  suddenly  occurred  to  Phil,  that  here  was 
a  debt  he  honestly  owed,  not  only  on  his  own  account,  but 


342        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

also  on  the  account  of  every  man  working  there,  and  a 
stern  light  came  into  his  eyes. 

"  Merton,"  he  said  sharply.  "  I  don't  want  to  touch 
your  nasty  body  with  my  hands;  but  if  you  don't  shut  up 
and  get  out  of  my  way,  I  '11  throw  you  out." 

Phil  tried  to  keep  his  temper  down  and  speak  conserva- 
tively; but  he  had  unconsciously  absorbed  a  large  amount 
of  vivid  profanity  during  his  term  at  the  mines ;  and  beauti- 
fully garnished  phrases  leaped  ready-framed  to  his  lips, 
so  that  he  had  to  bite  his  words  off  with  a  snap  to  keep 
from  throwing  restraint  to  the  winds  and  cursing  the  man 
before  him  to  his  fourth  generation. 

Enough  of  this  flamed  in  Phil's  eyes  to  goad  Merton  to 
fury,  and  when  Phil  tried  once  more  to  pass  him,  Merton 
thrust  him  roughly  back;  and  then  the  two  men  stood  and 
glared  into  each  other's  eyes. 

In  good  condition  Phil  was  the  larger;  but  now  he  was 
so  emaciated  that  he  seemed  to  be  a  slender  weakling. 
He  was  down  to  a  wire  edge,  Merton  was  fat;  there  was 
thus  but  little  choice  as  far  as  condition  was  concerned; 
but  Phil  was  one  of  those  exceptions  which  the  Sunday 
School  books  so  methodically  ignore,  an  indolent  young 
man  with  ample  training  and  the  temperament  of  a  born 
fighter. 

The  longer  he  looked  into  Merton's  eyes  the  fiercer  he 
became;  until  the  ultimate  stage  was  reached,  and  then  a 
warm  flush  of  purely  animal  joy  swept  into  his  pallid  face, 
his  lips  broke  into  a  free  smile,  and  he  reached  out  and 
slapped  Merton  on  the  cheek  with  a  resounding  whack. 
Stepping  back  out  of  reach  he  clenched  his  fists,  leaving 
them  hang  loosely  at  his  sides,  and  said  with  a  roguish  glint 


INITIAL   STEPS  343 

in  his  eyes,  "If  you  can't  possibly  get  along  without  it, 
Uncle  Billy,  why,  come  and  help  yourself." 

Merton  hesitated  a  moment,  but  Phil's  features  were  so 
haggard,  that  there  did  not  seem  to  be  a  fight  in  him, 
and  he  went  for  him  with  a  rush.  It  was  very  simple; 
Phil  merely  straightened  out  a  stiffened  arm  and  Merton's 
head  went  back  with  a  jar  and  his  body  toppled  into  a 
ludicrous  sitting  posture. 

Phil  had  not  moved  from  his  tracks;  he  put  his  arms 
akimbo,  and  gazed  down  with  mock  seriousness  upon  the 
assistant  superintendent.  "If  you  are  entirely  through, 
Uncle  Billy,  I  shall  bid  you  adieu ;  but  if  you  wish  to  con- 
tinue this  exercise  you  will  have  to  stand  up;  I  do  not 
know  how  to  fight  sitting  down." 

Merton  had  not  been  hurt  so  much  as  surprised ;  he  still 
thought  that  he  could  handle  Phil  without  difficulty;  and 
a  ripple  of  suppressed  comment  from  the  interested 
audience,  caused  him  to  leap  to  his  feet  and  rush  at  Phil 
with  a  curse  and  his  arm  upraised  and  drawn  back  for  the 
unskilled  blow  of  rage. 

This  time  Phil  swayed  to  the  left  with  a  neat  crouch, 
and  presented  his  recent  employer  with  a  jolt  below  the 
ear.  All  the  bones  in  Phil's  arm  had  been  bound  end  to 
end  by  the  stiffened  muscles;  and  Merton  had  scant  time 
to  enjoy  the  shower  of  stars  before  the  total  eclipse  be- 
gan. 

When  Phil  saw  that  it  was  all  over,  he  felt  dizzy  and 
weak,  and  was  drawing  deep,  resting  breaths  when  Lazy 
Bill  rushed  from  the  crowd  with  a  whoop  and  began  to 
pump  his  right  arm.  "  Beautiful,  beautiful !  "  cried  that 
worthy  with  joyous  enthusiasm.  "  Oh,  goodly,  gurgly, 


344        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

gorgeous!  You  can't  leave  us,  old  man;  we  need  you. 
Why  if  you  had  been  in  twenty  per  cent,  condition,  you  'd 
have  knocked  his  head  entirely  off.  As  it  is,  I  think,  and 
hope,  that  you  unjointed  his  neck." 

A  sudden  fear  struck  a  chill  to  Phil's  heart  and  he  knelt 
by  the  prostrate  man;  but  when  he  rolled  him  upon  his 
back,  Merton  began  to  groan;  so  once  more  waving  fare- 
well to  the  men,  all  friends  and  comrades  now,  Phil  went 
on  to  the  shop  of  the  Lady  Barber.  Whipping  Merton 
had  not  been  the  way  he  had  expected  to  begin  his  regen- 
eration; but  nothing  else  could  have  given  him  so  com- 
plete a  joy,  and  nothing  else  could  so  clearly  have  indicated, 
that  in  spite  of  his  wan  face  and  weak  legs,  he  was  again 
normal,  as  the  unhampered  freedom  with  which  he 
revelled  in  this  joy. 

His  mind  was  busy  with  pleasant  thoughts  of  Edith 
Hampton  when  he  entered  the  shop.  Recalled  to  his  pres- 
ent by  sight  of  the  Lady  Barber,  herself,  Phil's  face 
again  reddened  beneath  its  pallor  and  its  tan.  "  I  am 
going  away,"  he  said  simply,  "  and  I  wanted  to  tell  you 
that  I  was  not  myself  the  other  night,  and  that  I  sincerely 
respect  and  admire  you." 

Then  the  Lady  Barber  did  a  silly  thing;  she  permitted 
two  tears  to  escape  and  roll  down  her  cheeks.  "  I  did  not 
bear  you  any  ill  will,"  she  said.  "  I  know  men,  and  I 
knew  you.  You  were  just  lonely  for  the  girl,  and  you 
were  homesick  and  wanted  to  be  naughty,  that  was  all. 
All  your  life  you  will  be  but  a  child,"  she  continued  with 
wistful  tenderness,  which  Phil  could  not  have  understood, 
"  and  for  this  reason,  women  will  forgive  you  many  things. 
You  will  not  be  good  from  a  sense  of  duty,  but  you  will 


INITIAL   STEPS  345 

never  be  bad  for  very  long  at  a  time.  We  might  have 
been  good  friends,  and  I  have  missed  you.  I  am  sorry 
you  are  going  away." 

"It  is  mighty  good  of  you  to  take  it  so,"  said  Phil 
sincerely.  "  The  men  have  been  good  to  me  also ;  but  I 
have  not  been  myself  until  to-day.  I  have  honestly  been 
in  miserable  shape  up  here;  but  to-day,  I  am  actually 
sorry  that  I  am  going  to  leave." 

"  Are  you  going  back  home  ?  " 

"  No,  oh,  no;  I'm  just  going  on  to  see  if  I  can't  find  a 
hole  somewhere  that  a  peg  of  my  shape  will  just  fit  into. 
I  am  pretty  useless,  one  way  or  another." 

"  I  wish  you  the  best  of  luck,"  said  the  woman,  "  and  I 
shall  often  think  of  you.  If  you  find  your  place,  or  if 
you  don't,  drop  me  a  line  once  in  a  while  to  let  me  know. 
It  does  get  lonesome  up  here  sometimes." 

There  was  a  yearning  back  of  this  which  touched  Phil's 
heart.  "  I  shall  think  of  you  often,"  he  promised,  "  and 
I  '11  try  to  write  once  in  a  while.  What  is  Jennie's  ad- 
dress? I  want  to  let  her  uncle  know,  some  time;  but  not 
soon." 

"  Jim  used  to  get  his  mail  at  Edgewood,  and  I  suppose 
he  '11  settle  down  there.  He  has  a  little  place  up  in  the 
hills.  I  have  not  written  to  Jennie  yet;  but  I  expect  to 
soon,  and  I  '11  tell  her  I  saw  you." 

"  Yes,  give  her  my  best  wishes,  too ;  but  don't  say  any- 
thing about  her  uncle,  for  nothing  may  come  of  it;  and  it 
is  better  not  to  set  her  dreaming.  And  now,  good-bye ; 
you  're  doing  a  lot  of  good  up  here,  and  I  hope  you  '11  get 
your  share  of  happiness." 

The   woman   took   his   hand   in   a    firm   clasp.     "  I   am 


346        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

mighty  glad  you  came  to  say  good-bye,  and  I  'm  sure  that 
you  '11  find  your  place  some  time.  Don't  be  foolish ;  there 
is  a  lot  of  good  in  you." 

As  Phil  walked  away  to  get  his  blanket,  he  was  full  of 
a  warm  content.  All  the  world  was  kind  to  him,  kinder 
than  he  deserved.  He  recalled  that  Valerie,  also,  had  said 
that  there  was  good  in  him ;  and  he  determined  to  find  some 
way  to  use  whatever  good  there  was  in  service  to  others. 

When  he  neared  his  room,  he  saw  the  watchman,  hand 
on  hips,  regarding  his  rolled  blanket  with  fixed  displeas- 
ure. "  A  pleasant  day,"  said  Phil  cheerily. 

The  watchman  whirled  with  a  start,  and  looked  search- 
ingly  into  Phil's  face  without  making  reply.  The  expres- 
sion of  surprise  gradually  faded  into  one  of  reproach, 
and  at  last  the  watchman  said  accusingly :  "  Well,  by  gosh ; 
you  're  the  last  feller  in  the  world  I  expected  to  see  to- 
day." 

Phil  recalled  the  power  of  deputy  sheriff  which  the 
watchman  held,  and  at  once  supposed  that  Merton  had  or- 
dered his  arrest.  "  Why  ?  "  he  asked. 

"How  did  you  sleep  last  night?"  rejoined  the  watch- 
man, ignoring  the  question. 

Phil  sighed  with  relief.  "  I  hardly  slept  at  all.  I  was 
in  a  fever  and  I  had  a  most  unusual  vision.  I  thought 
I  was  dead." 

"  Ah,  ha,"  exclaimed  the  watchman.  "  What  had  you 
died  of?" 

"  It  sounds  silly  in  the  light  of  day,"  replied  Phil ;  "  but 
I  thought  I  had  cut  my  own  throat."  He  did  not  reply 
lightly.  He  saw  the  refined  features  of  the  boy  upon  the 
floor,  as  he  had  seen  them  last  night,  and  his  own  face 
became  very  sober. 


INITIAL   STEPS  347 

"  And  now  you  're  goin'  away,  I  suppose,"  said  the  watch- 
man, not  without  a  trace  of  gloom  in  his  voice. 

"Yes,  I  am  going  away,"  replied  Phil,  holding  out  his 
hand. 

"  Well,  I  hope  you  get  along  all  right,"  said  the  watch- 
man ominously,  as  he  shook  Phil's  hand. 

Phil  put  his  rolled  blanket  over  his  shoulder  and  started 
for  the  road  which  led  down  the  mountain,  leaving  the 
watchman  gazing  after  him.  "  I  wish  I  'd  'a'  run  my  finger 
along  his  spine  to  get  some  of  his  luck,"  muttered  the  watch- 
man to  himself ;  "  but  the'  ain't  no  assurance  that  he 's 
through  with  it  yet.  I  'd  be  willin'  to  bet  two  bits  that 
that  Dago  hounds  him  around  the  world  but  what  he  finally 
gits  him.  If  he  don't  do  that,  he  '11  get  the  next  one  that 
uses  this  room ;  and  if  he  tries  that,  I  bet  I  don't  go  huntin' 
for  no  Mexican  on  the  night  he  tries  to  finish  things  up. 
That  was  n't  no  vision  he  seen,  I  bet  two  bits  on  that. 
Whatever  it  was,  most  of  it  was  real ;  and  I  wish  I  'd  made 
him  tell  me  of  it.  Gee,  I  have  rotten  luck !  " 

Phil  walked  past  the  dining  shack  and  the  office  toward 
the  opening  of  the  canyon,  and  every  step  seemed  to  give 
him  new  strength.  Constitutions  like  his  do  not  disin- 
tegrate without  making  a  mighty  effort,  and  when  the  re- 
action of  health  once  begins,  its  progress  is  remarkably 
rapid. 

As  he  walked  down  through  the  deep,  cool  canyon  away 
from  the  camp,  Phil's  mind  dwelt  upon  his  fight  with  Mer- 
ton,  and  his  farewell  to  the  Lady  Barber;  and,  according 
to  his  new  code,  he  felt  that  he  had  actually  made  a  start. 
He  tried  to  disapprove  of  fighting;  but  he  felt  that  the  mem- 
ory of  that  last  blow  would  remain  with  Merton  as  a  salu- 
tary check  upon  his  treatment  of  the  men. 


34&        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

The  sun  was  well  screened  by  the  leafy  boughs,  the  bur- 
den on  his  shoulder  was  not  heavy,  and  he  was  filled  with  a 
new  purpose  which  acted  like  a  stimulant.  He  had  no 
idea  where  he  was  going;  but  knew  that,  in  some  vague 
way,  he  had  enlisted  to  fight  upon  the  side  of  right  as  he 
saw  it,  and  the  prospect  pleased  him.  Much  of  the  old 
Phil  Lytton  had  been  used  in  making  the  new;  but  part 
of  the  new  had  never  been  in  the  old. 

His  steps  were  short  and  it  required  some  attention  to 
maintain  his  balance;  but  he  did  not  feel  lonely,  or  quite 
alone,  as  he  walked  between  the  high  walls  of  the  canyon. 
The  birds  were  singing,  as  they  had  sung  in  the  forest 
beside  the  great,  green  meadow ;  sometimes  it  almost 
seemed  that  he  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  graceful,  gray 
form  darting  about  the  curve  of  the  path  ahead  of  him, 
and  occasionally  he  would  shift  the  rolled  blanket  contain- 
ing his  few  belongings  upon  his  shoulder,  and  draw  a  deep 
breath,  as  he  thought  that  he  had  already  taken  up  the  bur- 
den of  his  old  life  to  begin  the  period  of  service  which 
should  at  last  lead  him,  even  unto  the  Beautiful  Country. 


CHAPTER  THIRTY-TWO 

A   PEACEFUL   PAUSE 

Ax  no  time  during  the  world's  history  have  there  been 
enough  adventures  to  supply  the  demand.  At  all  ages  men 
have  become  dissatisfied  with  the  brand  of  adventures 
which  the  home  market  offered,  and  have  gone  forth  un- 
der the  common  delusion  that  anything  of  foreign  make, 
even  an  adventure,  would  be  of  unquestionable  suprem- 
acy. It  was  because  of  this  lack  of  real  adventures  that 
the  good  knights  were  forced  to  slaughter  such  hordes 
of  dragons,  in  season  and  out. 

And  so  now  with  Phil  Lytton.  With  all  the  freshness 
of  a  new  vow  upon  him,  he  might  well  be  expected  to 
achieve  something  akin  to  distinction,  if  only  external  cir- 
cumstance worthy  to  call  forth  his  best  were  offered;  but 
instead,  his  trip  of  a  week  down  the  mountain  road  did 
nothing  except  give  him  back  much  wasted  tissue,  and  con- 
sume four  dollars  and  fifty  cents  of  his  money,  which  was 
as  much  as  a  ride  in  the  stage  would  have  cost. 

At  Tres  Pinos,  he  stepped  into  a  small  general  store  to 
purchase  some  cheese  and  crackers,  and  was  waited  upon 
by  a  fresh-faced  girl.  He  sat  upon  a  box  to  eat  his  simple 
meal,  and  from  the  conversation  between  the  girl  and  the 
next  customer,  he  learned  that  the  girl's  father  had  in- 
jured his  back  and  could  not  work  for  some  time,  and 
that  a  clerk  to  assist  in  conducting  the  store  was  both 

349 


350        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

needed  and  desired;  so  Phil  made  application  to  the  girl, 
and  was  by  her  directed  to  the  small,  neat  house  in  which 
her  father  was  spending  his  time  in  a  vain  endeavor  to 
refrain  from  expressing  his  real  sentiments  regarding  his 
luck. 

The  old  man  had  a  pleasant  face,  but  deep-set  eyes 
which  seemed  able  to  see  into  the  heart  of  things.  He 
asked  Phil  many  questions,  and  Phil,  feeling  that  at  last 
he  was  free  to  be  independent,  answered  frankly,  telling 
what  he  chose  truthfully,  but  stating  that  he  did  not  wish 
to  say  anything  definite  about  his  earlier  life.  The  old 
man  was  satisfied,  and  hired  Phil,  who  still  elected  to  be 
called  Lenord  Latham. 

There  were  no  adventures  here;  it  was  a  small  eddy, 
far  from  the  current  of  life,  and  Phil  could  not  have  chosen 
a  better  place  to  recuperate.  He  found  a  lively  content 
in  the  variety  of  his  labors,  and  also  in  the  people  with 
whom  he  soon  grew  acquainted.  There  was  no  conde- 
scension about  Phil  now ;  he  made  an  effort  to  please,  and 
his  effort  was  fully  appreciated. 

The  old  man  owned  a  plot  of  land  which  he  had  set  out 
in  fruit  trees ;  but  which  was  badly  in  need  of  care.  Phil 
arranged  with  the  girl  to  tend  the  store  while  he  put  in  as 
much  time  as  possible  upon  the  plot  of  ground  under  the 
advice  of  the  old  man  and  his  neighbors.  He  ate  at  the 
house  and  slept  in  a  small  room  off  the  store,  and  the  days 
flowed  past  him  pleasantly,  but  with  such  smoothness  that 
he  scarcely  noticed  them.  No  mention  had  been  made  of 
wages;  but  when  the  second  week  was  finished,  the  old 
man  told  Phil  that  in  addition  to  his  board  and  room,  he 
could  draw  six  dollars  per  week  in  money,  and  Phil  was 
honestly  thankful. 


A    PEACEFUL    PAUSE  351 

There  was  at  all  times  a  wistful  seriousness  in  Phil's 
face  now;  but  much  of  his  old  gaiety  had  returned,  and 
the  girl  found  him  a  wonderful  addition  to  her  tiny  circle. 
She  was  quiet  and  reserved,  with  large  dark  eyes  which 
rested  steadily  upon  whoever  was  speaking  to  her,  and  her 
laugh  was  low  and  musical,  such  a  laugh  as  begins  in  the 
heart  with  only  its  outer  ripples  reaching  the  lips;  and  it 
was  the  laugh  of  complete  understanding.  Phil  liked  to 
hear  her  laugh  and  studied  her  to  learn  her  trends  and  fan- 
cies. He  told  her  much  of  the  big  outer  world;  but  care- 
fully avoided  making  it  sufficiently  attractive  to  rob  her 
present  of  its  simple  joys. 

In  all  his  life,  Phil  had  never  been  so  normal.  He  had 
lost  nearly  all  of  the  supercilious  complacency  which  had 
formerly  been  a  characteristic  trait;  he  had  learned  to  see 
through  manners  and  morals  into  the  fierce  struggle 
which  each  individual  soul  was  making  to  rise  above  the 
crush  of  circumstances ;  and  the  earnest  purpose  with  which 
he  had  picked  up  the  burden  of  his  old  life  with  its  failures 
continued  to  influence  him,  and  gradually  placed  a  new 
ideal  of  success  before  him. 

He  no  longer  yearned  for  a  triumph  which  would  vin- 
dicate him  in  the  eyes  of  his  former  friends;  but  made 
himself  ruler  of  his  own  personality,  made  this  new  ideal 
the  constitution  under  which  he  governed  himself,  and  this 
ideal  was  the  lasting  beauty,  the  living  truth,  and  the  cer- 
tain satisfaction  of  unselfish  service.  He  did  not  sit  and 
wait  for  a  great  opportunity,  he  did  not  weigh  effects;  he 
merely  helped  all  whom  he  could  help,  in  the  simplest  and 
most  natural  way  possible;  and  his  face,  brown  and  rosy 
now,  became  strong  and  gentle. 

"  I  must  love  her,"  he  said  to  himself  one  evening,  as 


352        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

he  rested  a  moment  before  starting  the  return  of  a  long 
walk.  "  I  certainly  must  love  her.  She  forced  me  out  of 
my  former  life ;  I  have  tried  to  hate  her ;  I  know  that  she 
would  look  upon  my  present  work  as  a  foolish  waste  of 
time;  and  yet  in  some  unreasonable  way,  all  that  I  do,  I 
seem  to  be  doing  for  her.  Oh,  Edith,  we  have  not  one 
thought  in  common,  and  yet  you  seem  closer  to  me  to- 
night than  you  ever  were  before." 

August  and  September  passed,  and  October  found  Phil 
a  business  man  at  last.  The  old  man  had  been  able  to  get 
to  the  store  by  the  middle  of  September ;  but  he  had  found 
the  new  clerk  so  diligent  that  he  had  not  taken  the  reins 
from  him,  but  had  been  content  to  aid  the  new  activity 
which  Phil  had  inaugurated.  The  little  store  had  formerly 
waited  for  customers,  and  had  then  waited  on  them ;  but 
Phil  had  studied  them,  had  learned  some  of  the  skill  of 
salesmanship,  had  taken  orders  for  large  amounts  at  low 
profits  from  the  more  pretentious  ranches,  and  had  greatly 
increased  a  trade  which  the  old  man  had  supposed  to  be 
as  unresponsive  to  set  effort  as  the  wind  or  the  rain. 

"  You  pay  yourself  ten  dollars  a  week,"  said  the  old 
man,  "  and  I  reckon  that  before  long  we  '11  have  to  come 
to  some  arrangement  about  sharing  profits.  I  'm  gettin' 
old  and  it  takes  young  blood  in  business." 

No  other  words  in  his  entire  life  had  given  Phil  such 
a  thrill,  and  he  had  gone  into  his  new  plans  with  increased 
zest.  So  satisfying  was  the  content  he  felt  in  his  full, 
active  life,  that  he  was  beginning  to  look  upon  it  as  his 
destiny.  He  saw  many  ways  in  which  he  could  branch 
out,  and  the  stimulant  of  actually  being  in  control  and 
also  useful,  had  aroused  his  ambition  to  daring  flights. 

And  then  he  was  forced  to  take  up  his  blind  quest  once 


A    PEACEFUL    PAUSE  353 

more.  It  was  upon  the  tenth  of  October  that  he  first  per- 
ceived the  need  of  going  away,  and  it  took  him  several 
days  to  completely  try  the  case  and  render  his  decision. 
Mary,  the  daughter,  had  been  gradually  losing  her  perfect 
freedom  with  him;  but  engrossed  as  he  was  in  his  new 
plans,  he  had  not  noticed.  At  last,  however,  he  sur- 
prised a  tender  warmth  in  her  eyes,  and  in  spite  of  his 
boyish  modesty,  which  was  still  honest  and  unspoiled,  he 
was  forced  to  admit  that  she  was  beginning  to  love  him. 

He  thought  it  out  carefully;  he  was  fond  of  her  and 
truly  appreciated  the  sheltered  purity  and  sweet  simplicity 
of  her  character;  but  he  did  not  love  her  and  he  could  not 
love  her.  He  was  sorry ;  for  he  would  have  been  perfectly 
content  to  make  his  real  start  in  life  in  the  little  general 
store,  living  each  day  as  it  came  and  building  each  step 
securely  before  going  on  to  the  next;  but  the  more  he 
thought  of  Mary,  the  more  clearly  he  saw  Edith,  and  Edith 
stood  the  test,  even  against  his  reason. 

He  did  not  think  that  Mary  was  conscious  of  her  own 
feelings  for  him ;  and  he  decided  to  leave  before  they  made 
themselves  manifest.  It  was  with  a  mutual  wrench  that 
they  parted;  but  Phil  forced  himself  to  be  cheerful,  told 
them  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to  return  East, 
and  that  they  would  probably  never  meet  again.  Mary 
felt  a  dull  ache  in  her  heart,  but  she  knew  not  the  symp- 
toms of  love,  and  she  was  young  and  eager  for  what  the 
years  held  in  store;  so  that  Phil's  promptness  in  leaving 
saved  her  from  any  lasting  regret. 

Phil  started  away  with  ninety  dollars,  perfect  health,  a 
well-ordered  mind,  an  active  ambition,  and  high  hopes; 
but  although  he  had  learned  much  of  himself,  he  was  still 
ignorant  of  the  world,  and  he  drifted  along  the  San  Jose 


354        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

valley  toward  San  Francisco  with  nothing  more  definite 
in  his  mind  than  the  hope  that  he  would  chance  upon  an- 
other general  store  with  a  disabled  owner,  and  without  a 
girl  whose  dark,  soft  eyes  rested  steadily  upon  whoever 
was  speaking  to  her. 

Something  warned  him  away  from  San  Francisco;  and, 
as  the  peculiar  combination  he  had  in  mind  seemed  elusive, 
he  turned  off  to  Stockton  and  the  first  of  November  found 
him  in  Sacramento  wondering  what  he  should  do  through 
the  winter  to  preserve  the  seventy  dollars  which  remained 
to  him. 

He  could  find  no  work,  and  casually  drifted  down  to  the 
railroad  to  see  the  trains  coming  in  from  the  East;  the  far 
off  East,  for  which  he  was  beginning  to  yearn.  He  had 
become  lonely  again,  and  loneliness  always  caused  the 
fibers  of  his  will  to  loosen.  As  he  sat  in  the  bright  sun- 
shine, repenting,  according  to  his  wont,  that  he  had  obeyed 
his  own  behest  in  leaving  the  little  store  at  Tres  Pinos, 
a  bright-eyed  boy  strolled  up,  looked  at  him  a  moment, 
and  asked :  "  Say,  Jack,  got  any  tobacco  ?  " 


CHAPTER  THIRTY-THREE 

A   NEW   COMRADE 

PHIL  regarded  the  boy  with  a  smile  of  amusement.  He 
was  an  independent  chap,  sturdy  and  self-possessed,  and 
Phil  felt  his  own  pent-up  friendliness  reaching  out  to  the 
boy  with  a  soothing  sense  of  relief.  He  took  out  a  sack 
of  the  cheap  tobacco  he  had  learned  to  smoke  at  the  mines, 
and  held  it  in  his  hand  while  he  regarded  his  inquisitor  seri- 
ously. "  What  do  you  want  with  it?"  he  asked. 

"  I  have  n't  any  soap  and  I  want  to  wash  me  hands,"  re- 
plied the  boy  with  withering  sarcasm.  "  If  there  is  any 
left  we  '11  make  some  tea,  and  tell  fortunes  with  the 
grounds." 

Phil  warmed  his  hands  at  the  boy's  rough  wit,  and  from 
that  moment  they  were  comrades.  After  each  had  lighted 
his  pipe,  they  settled  themselves  comfortably  and  proceeded 
to  the  few  details  necessary  for  friendly  understanding. 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  "  asked  Phil. 

"  Maumee  Mat,"  replied  the  boy  with  conscious  pride. 
"  What  do  you  answer  to  ?  " 

"Lenord,"  replied  Phil.     "Do  you  live  here?" 

"  What  ?  "  exclaimed  the  insulted  youth.  "  Me  live  in 
this  burg?  The'  don't  anybody  live  here.  This  is  one  o' 
the  places  they  store  dead  folks  until  the  angels  get  time 
to  identify  'em.  I  live  on  the  road.  Which  way  you 
headin'?" 

355 


356        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  I  'm  headin'  East,"  replied  Phil,  with  inward  amuse- 
ment. "  Which  way  are  you  headin'  ?  " 

"  Oh,  nowhere  in  particular.  I  'm  lookin'  for  a  cozy 
place  to  plant  myself  through  the  winter.  The  regular  bos 
have  crowded  all  the  warm  spots  and  I  'm  goin'  to  saunter 
back  east  until  I  find  a  hotel  or  something  that  wants  to 
feed  me  until  the  blue  birds  twitter." 

"  How  old  are  you?  " 

The  boy  looked  at  him  coldly.  It  was  plain  that  this  was 
not  a  proper  question.  If  "  kid  "  had  been  tacked  on  the 
end,  it  would  have  altered  it  completely;  but  without  it, 
Maumee  Mat  experienced  a  disappointing  shortcoming  in 
his  new  acquaintance,  a  crassness,  a  lack  of  finish,  and 
from  that  on  he  became  a  little  condescending.  "  I  'm 
fifteen,"  he  replied ;  "  how  old  are  you  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  am  thirty,  but  I  am  no  longer  sure,"  replied 
Phil. 

"  Got  any  graft  ?  "  asked  Mat. 

Phil  shook  his  head. 

"  How  you  travelin'  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  walking  lately,"  replied  Phil  with  a  smile. 

The  boy  gave  an  eloquent  whistle.  "  You  must  hate 
your  feet,"  he  rejoined.  "  What  the  deuce  a  man  wants 
to  walk  for  with  all  the  railroads  we  have  in  this  country, 
is  more  'n  I  can  see.  What  do  you  call  east,  Nevada  ? " 

"  I  came  from  New  York,"  answered  Phil,  in  self-de- 
fence. 

The  boy  looked  at  Phil's  shoes,  and  gave  another  whis- 
tle, which  brought  a  smile  to  Phil's  lips. 

"  Got  any  cush  ?  "  asked  the  boy. 

"  A  little,"  replied  Phil,  correctly  inferring  that  refer- 
ence had  been  made  to  the  medium  of  exchange. 


ANEWCOMRADE  357 

"  Give  me  two  bits  and  I  '11  go  get  the  makin's  for  a 
cook-up,  and  then  we  '11  lay  for  a  fruit  car  and  ride 
over  the  hill  in  comfort.  It'll  be  cold  out  doors  from 
now  on." 

Phil  handed  the  boy  a  quarter,  and  in  a  short  time  he 
returned  with  coffee,  eggs,  bacon,  potatoes,  bread  and 
onions.  "  I  would  not  make  much  of  an  effort  to  secure 
your  trade,"  said  Phil. 

The  boy  winked  solemnly  as  he  pulled  forth  a  sack  of 
tobacco.  "  I  never  would  steal  from  a  friend,"  he  said  can- 
didly, "  but  the'  ain't  none  o'  these  rummy  storekeepers 
friends  o'  mine.  Do  you  want  the  change,  or  shall  I 
keep  it?" 

"  You  keep  it  this  time,"  answered  Phil,  trying  to  speak 
reprovingly,  "  but  in  the  future,  I  prefer  to  have  you  pay 
for  what  you  get." 

"  I  'd  do  it  in  a  minute,"  answered  the  boy  calmly,  "  if 
the'  was  any  chance  that  I  'd  get  what  I  paid  for.  Don't 
worry  about  me ;  I  Ve  never  been  pinched  yet." 

When  the  meal  was  cooked,  upon  a  broken  skillet  and  in 
a  large  tomato  can,  Phil  was  surprised  to  see  that  the  scru- 
ples which  he  had  honestly  felt,  were  not  influencing  his 
appetite  in  the  least,  and  he  ate  with  zest. 

"  Do  you  know  how  to  beat  a  train  ?  "  asked  the  boy,  as 
soon  as  his  pipe  was  lighted. 

"  I   never  tried  it,"  answered   Phil  modestly. 

"  And  you  thirty ! "  remarked  Maumee  Mat  from  a  great 
height.  "  Well,  you  look  pretty  handy,  and  I  guess  I  can 
steer  you ;  but  .you  're  the  worst  hog  for  walkin'  I  ever  did 
see.  Have  you  got  the  nerve  to  put  up  a  scrap  if  the 
shacks  try  to  ditch  us  ?  " 

"  If  you  are  asking  if  I  would  fight  a  train  crew,  rather 


358        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

than  get  off  when  ordered,"  replied  Phil,  "  I  don't  think  I 
would." 

"  Oh  gee !     Have  n't  you  got  anything  to  fight  with  ?  " 

"  Not  a  thing." 

"  Great  Scott ! "  The  boy's  simple  surprise  was  quite 
genuine.  He  produced  a  small  revolver,  a  razor,  two  large 
taps,  and  a  slungshot.  "  When  anyone  tries  to  take  a  train 
away  from  me,  he  's  got  to  show  a  better  title,"  he  said, 
shaking  his  head. 

"  You  would  not  shoot  a  man  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty," 
would  you?"  asked  Phil. 

"  He  can  discharge  his  duty  all  he  wants  to ;  but  if  he 
tries  to  discharge  me  when  the  train  is  hittin'  her  up  through 
the  desert,  why  I  '11  have  to  discharge  this.  I  don't  weigh 
enough  to  stall  the  blamed  old  kettle,  do  I?  Well,  then, 
what  does  he  want  to  make  me  hit  the  gravel  for?" 

"  I  know,  but  he  would  be  acting  under  orders." 

"Orders  —  humph  1  A  man  has  to  protect  his  own  life 
on  the  road,  orders  or  no  orders." 

"  What  started  you  on  the  road  ?  " 

"  My  stepfather.  I  was  sellin'  papers  an'  doin'  odd  jobs, 
an'  me  an'  the  old  woman  was  gettin'  on,  when  a  foolish 
streak  hit  her,  and  she  married  a  dub  who  was  the  worst 
stiff  you  ever  piped.  I  told  her  just  what  he  was  but  she 
would  go  on  —  she  owned  her  own  home,  such  as  it  was. 
That  was  three  years  ago.  I  stood  it  a  year,  and  then  I 
dug.  I  went  back  a  year  ago  and  tried  it  again;  but  she 
died ;  so  I  came  back  to  the  road." 

"  Don't  you  intend  to  go  to  work  some  time  ? "  asked 
Phil. 

"  I  work  whenever  I  get  anything  that  suits  me.     I  'd 


ANEWCOMRADE  359 

rather  do  decent  work  than  bum;  but  neither  one  of  'em 
pays  extra  heavy.  I  suppose  I  '11  settle  down  some  time. 
Why  don't  you  find  yourself  at  work,  right  now?" 

"  I  wish  I  was,"  replied  Phil  soberly.  "  I  was  perfectly 
satisfied  with  my  last  work ;  but  I  had  to  leave  it,  and  now 
I  shall  take  the  first  job  I  can  find." 

"  Listen  to  me,"  said  Maumee  Mat,  with  the  assurance 
of  an  oracle.  "  The  most  unhappy  guys  I  see,  are  the  ones 
looking  for  work;  and  the  most  contented  ones  are  the 
stiffs  who  try  to  hide  from  it.  What 's  the  use  ?  " 

"  Would  n't  you  like  to  be  educated  ?  " 

"  Oh,  sure ;  I'd  like  to  be  a  lawyer  or  a  banker  or  a  sen- 
ator; but  a  feller  has  to  get  into  the  right  groove  to  head 
into  an  easy  berth,  and  my  luck  don't  run  that  way.  Here  's 
our  train." 

Maumee  Mat  took  complete  control  of  Phil  during  the 
month  which  followed.  He  showed  him  how  to  ride  trains, 
how  to  keep  warm,  and  how  to  live  on  nothing  to  speak  of. 
Both  found  work  in  the  same  eating  house  in  Ogden,  and 
stayed  there  two  weeks.  At  Rawlins,  Wyoming,  they  had 
their  first  quarrel ;  they  had  come  upon  an  intoxicated  man 
asleep;  the  boy  immediately  confiscated  two  dollars,  and 
Phil  as  instantly  seized  him  by  the  collar  and  dragged  him 
up  to  the  man.  "  Put  it  back,"  said  Phil  sternly. 

"  You  ain't  bossin'  me,"  replied  the  boy  defiantly. 

"  Put  it  back,"  repeated  Phil. 

The  boy  tried  to  squirm  out  of  his  hands  and  in  the 
scuffle  which  ensued,  the  man  awakened  and  took  the  boy's 
part.  Phil  explained  that  his  companion  had  taken  two 
dollars  from  the  man,  and  the  man's  wrath  was  turned 
upon  the  boy,  whom  he  slapped  with  his  open  palm.  Phil 


360        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

immediately  knocked  the  man  down,  and  while  the  man 
was  considering  the  peculiar  contrasts  of  life,  Phil  forced 
the  boy  to  return  the  two  dollars. 

The  boy  was  deeply  insulted  at  Phil's  unethical  procedure 
in  returning  what  he  considered  perfectly  legitimate  spoils, 
but  was  highly  elated  at  the  neatness  with  which  Phil  had 
knocked  the  man  down.  On  the  whole,  Phil  had  raised 
himself  decidedly  in  the  boy's  opinion;  but  Maumee  Mat 
was  not  one  to  forego  punishment  after  it  had  been  hon- 
estly earned,  and  for  the  balance  of  the  day  he  either  sulked, 
or  scolded  Phil  for  being  too  tender  for  life  on  the  road. 

Phil  had  tried  to  awaken  the  boy's  better  nature  during 
the  weeks  they  had  spent  together,  and  in  the  process  had 
grown  very  fond  of  him,  and  had  also  awakened  his  affec- 
tion ;  but  the  oddly  distinctive  egotism  of  Maumee  Mat  had 
prevented  him  from  giving  much  expression  to  a  sentiment, 
which  he  regarded  as  an  effeminate  weakness,  and  Phil  felt 
genuine  sorrow  at  what  he  considered  a  complete  failure. 

So  close  had  they  grown  during  their  intimate  associa- 
tion, however,  that  their  first  real  quarrel  hurt  and  per- 
turbed them  to  such  an  extent  that  they  forgot  to  eat  a 
noon  meal.  It  was  bright,  clear  weather,  but  bitterly  cold 
at  that  high  altitude ;  and  about  three  in  the  afternoon,  Mat 
moodily  prodded  the  soft  coal  fire  near  which  they  were 
lounging,  and  said  reproachfully :  "  If  you  had  n't  been  such 
a  sissy  about  those  two  dollars,  we  'd  'a'  had  a  cook-up  to 
dream  about  You  're  the  first  stiff  I  ever  saw  on  the  road 
who  thought  a  drunk  had  any  claim  to  money.  Why  don't 
you  go  back  to  your  Mama,  and  get  your  old  job,  teachin' 
Sunday  School  ?  " 

Phil  made  no  reply,  but  held  two  dollars  out  to  the  boy. 

"  I  guess  you  know  where  you  can  stick  those  two  dol- 


A    NEW    COMRADE  361 

lars,"  flashed  the  boy  angrily.  "  I  was  n't  beggin'  you,  and 
I  don't  intend  to  sponge  off  o'  you  any  longer.  We  're 
quits.  I  started  this  fire  with  me  own  match." 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Phil  slowly,  "  that  what  I  really  ought 
to  do  is  to  give  you  your  needin's." 

A  glow  of  pleasure  came  to  the  boy's  heart.  After  hav- 
ing seen  Phil  in  action,  Mat  had  measured  him  critically, 
had  put  a  just  estimate  upon  his  companion's  strength  and 
speed,  and  had  secretly  offered  up  to  him  all  the  eager  hero- 
worship  for  which  his  peculiar  nature  had  a  large  capacity 
and  his  narrow  life  offered  but  few  outlets.  Nothing  would 
have  given  him  greater  satisfaction  than  a  good  "  licking  " 
from  Phil. 

"  You  just  try  it  if  you  dare,"  he  returned  defiantly,  his 
right  hand  ostentatiously  reaching  for  his  revolver. 

Phil's  hand  shot  forth  and  seized  the  boy's  wrist,  slowly 
squeezed  the  bones  of  his  arm,  until  Mat's  face  was  wrin- 
kled with  pain,  and  then  released  it.  "  I  have  n't  the  heart 
to  hurt  you,  Mat,"  he  said. 

"  You  have  n't  the  heart  to  do  anything  except  preach, 
and  you  can  cut  it  out  with  me  from  this  on.  I  know  some 
twists,  and  you  'd  find  your  hands  full  tryin'  to  give  me  my 
needin's." 

"  You  're  as  fierce  as  a  rat  terrier,"  rejoined  Phil. 
"  Here,  take  two  bits  and  go  get  the  makin's.  You  Ve 
made  me  hungry." 

"  You  '11  do  your  own  rustlin'  from  now  on.  I  'm  goin' 
on  to  Hanna  and  get  a  job  at  the  mines  for  the  rest  o'  the 
winter ;  and  you  don't  need  to  tag  along,  neither." 

"  Well,  then  I  '11  go  up  town  and  get  some  stuff,"  said 
Phil. 

When  he  returned  the  boy  was  gone,  and  Phil   made 


362        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

coffee  and  fried  half  of  the  bacon.  His  heart  was  de- 
pressed and  lonely  as  he  ate  in  the  early  twilight.  It  seemed 
that  he  was  doomed  to  lose  whomever  he  became  fond  of ; 
and  for  a  moment,  the  regret  swept  through  him  that  he 
had  not  finished  it  all  that  moonlight  night  at  the  mines. 

He  lighted  his  pipe  and  sat  brooding  over  the  fire.  It 
suddenly  occurred  to  him  that  he  was  not  such  a  great  way 
from  Denver,  and  with  the  thought  came  a  curiosity  to  learn 
what  had  become  of  his  investments.  He  had  not  read  the 
papers  for  months ;  he  had  skimmed  through  the  news  oc- 
casionally, but  had  not  once  thought  of  examining  the  mar- 
ket reports  to  see  if  there  was  any  word  of  his  eccentric 
investments;  and  now  he  was  eager  to  see  just  what  had 
befallen  him  when  he  had  run  amuck  those  last  few  weeks 
in  New  York. 

New  York  —  that  was  it;  he  was  going  to  New  York. 
He  had  never  permitted  this  thought  to  actually  enter 
his  inner  field  of  reflection,  although  he  had  caught  its 
vague  form  occasionally;  but  now  he  knew  that  when  he 
had  left  Tres  Pinos,  he  had  started  straight  for  New  York, 
and  a  fierce  yearning  seized  him  to  be  once  more  upon  its 
streets,  to  hear  the  old  sounds,  see  the  old  sights,  and  know 
just  what  had  happened  to  the  world  since  he  himself  had 
dropped  out  of  it  over  a  year  before. 

Then  his  thoughts  turned  again  to  Mat,  and  he  placed 
the  remaining  food  more  conspicuously;  so  that  the  boy 
would  see  it  if  he  returned,  after  Phil  had  left ;  for  Phil 
had  resigned  himself  to  his  bereavement,  and  was  convinced 
that  Mat  would  not  be  friendly  with  him  again. 

All  this  time,  the  boy  was  enjoying  his  own  punishment 
of  himself.  He  admitted  in  his  inmost  heart  that  Phil  was 
right,  and  all  the  time  that  Phil  had  been  eating  and  brood- 


ANEWCOMRADE  363 

ing,  the  boy  had  been  watching  him  in  shivering  isolation 
through  the  partly  open  door  of  an  empty  box  car.  The 
cold  and  the  hunger  had  become  the  hair  shirt  which 
Mat  was  wearing  in  penitence;  but  he  was  also  enjoy- 
ing the  loneliness  which  he  knew  that  Phil  was  feeling.  It 
is  not  rare  for  a  human  to  punish  himself  and  others,  when 
a  little  frank  affection  would  be  much  the  simpler  way. 

A  solid  fruit  train  started  sullenly  out  of  the  yard  on 
its  long  journey  east,  and  Phil  decided  to  ride  it  to  Chey- 
enne and  then  drop  down  to  Denver.  Just  before  the  train 
came  up  to  them,  Mat  jumped  from  his  car  and  walked 
over  to  the  fire.  "  I  'm  goin'  to  ride  this  train,  and  I  don't 
want  you  to  tag  me.  Do  you  understand  ?  " 

"  You  had  better  slip  this  food  into  your  pocket,  Mat," 
said  Phil  kindly.  "  I  am  going  to  ride  this  train  too,  as 
far  as  Cheyenne ;  but  you  need  not  be  friendly  unless  you 
wish." 

"  If  you  ride  it,  I  don't,"  replied  the  boy,  his  mind  fully 
made  up  to  stick  to  Phil  as  long  as  possible.  "  I  want  to 
get  to  Hanna,  as  soon  as  I  can,  for  I  'm  so  hungry  now, 
my  feet  are  cold ;  but  if  you  ride  this  train,  I  wait  for  the 
next." 

"  Then  you  ride  this  train,  and  I  shall  wait  for  the  next," 
said  Phil,  seating  himself  by  the  fire  again. 

Mat  stood  with  his  back  to  the  blaze  until  half  the  train 
had  passed,  and  then  he  walked  away  from  the  light  of  the 
fire  and  crouching  low,  ran  in  to  catch  a  side  ladder.  The 
few  minutes  at  the  fire  had  merely  accentuated  his  chill; 
his  hand  slipped,  there  was  a  smothered  scream,  and  Phil's 
heart  itself  seemed  to  be  under  the  wheels  as  he  saw 
through  the  darkness  a  writhing  form  close  to  the  track. 

He  rushed  forward,  caught  up  the  boy  and  ran  back  to 


364        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  fire.  Mat  was  groaning  incoherently,  and  Phil  un- 
consciously echoed  the  groans  as  he  gently  made  an  exami- 
nation. The  left  leg  was  severed  just  above  the  ankle. 

"  Is  the  foot  plum  gone,  Len  ?  "  asked  Mat  through  set 
teeth. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Phil  as  steadily  as  he  could.  "  Lie  down 
on  your  back  and  breathe  deep,  and  relax  as  much  as  pos- 
sible. Drift  off  if  you  can,  old  chap.  This  is  tough;  but 
it  might  be  a  lot  worse.  I  '11  twist  something  about  it  to 
stop  the  blood,  and  then  I  '11  go  and  find  a  place  for  you." 

"  I  did  n't  intend  to  leave  you,  Len,"  said  the  boy.  "  I 
was  only  going  to  play  smart  Alec,  and  pretend  to  be 
thrown ;  so  that  we  could  be  pals  again.  Oh,  gee,  but  that 
pain  was  a  devil ! " 

"  Have  you  seen  any  heavy  twine  about  here  ?  "  asked 
Phil. 

"  There  is  some  in  that  empty.  I  was  hidin'  there  all  the 
time,  watchin'  you  eat.  UMMM!  Sometimes  it  shoots 
like  fire,  but  mostly  it 's  just  dead  and  numb." 

Phil  ran  and  procured  the  heavy  twine,  small  rope  in  fact, 
several  pieces  of  which  lay  upon  the  car  floor.  He  tied  it 
loosely  about  the  boy's  leg,  found  the  main  artery,  slipped 
a  handkerchief  under  the  twine  above  it,  and  twisted  the 
twine  so  tightly  with  a  stick  that  there  was  but  little  danger 
from  hemorrhage.  The  crushing  of  the  car  wheel  had  not 
produced  as  great  a  flow  of  blood  as  a  cleaner  cut  would 
have  done;  and  after  taking  off  his  suit  of  overalls  and 
wrapping  it  about  the  boy,  Phil  started  to  remove  his  coat 
also. 

"If  you  take  that  off  to  put  over  me,"  cried  Mat,  who 
was  still  shivering  from  cold  and  shock,  "  blamed  if  I  don't 
get  up  and  run." 


ANEW    COMRADE  365 

"  I  '11  run  all  the  way,"  argued  Phil,  "  and  that  will  keep 
me  warm.  Don't  be  silly." 

"  I  want  to  be  cold,"  said  the  boy,  his  eyes  full  of  tears. 
"  I  wish  the  damn  train  had  killed  me,  for  treatin'  you  the 
way  I  did.  I  won't  stay  if  you  take  off  your  coat." 

"  All  right,"  said  Phil,  as  he  replenished  the  fire  which 
had  been  built  behind  a  shelter.  "  You  lie  as  still  as  you 
can,  and  I  '11  hurry." 

The  first  doctor  he  found  was  a  young  fellow  who  did 
not  regard  tramps  as  human  beings ;  but  when  Phil  agreed 
to  pay  fifty  dollars  to  start  on  and  the  rest  of  the  bill  as 
soon  as  he  could,  the  doctor  thought  it  would  be  possible  to 
get  Mat  into  the  hospital. 

Phil  watched  the  amputation  himself,  waited  until  the 
boy  had  come  out  from  the  anesthetic,  and  had  then  taken 
the  rough  little  hand  as  it  lay  upon  the  unaccustomed 
sheet.  The  boy  tried  his  best  to  keep  from  sobbing,  but 
his  breath  would  insist  upon  coming  in  gasps.  "  I  wish  I 
had  been  killed  for  callin'  you  a  Sunday  School  teacher," 
he  said  at  last.  "  You  're  the  whitest  guy  I  ever  knew." 

Just  at  daybreak,  Phil  slipped  the  boy  his  last  ten-dollar 
bill,  promised  to  get  some  more  as  soon  as  possible,  stood 
by  the  cot  a  long  moment,  tempted  to  kiss  the  wrinkled 
little  forehead;  but  not  having  quite  enough  courage,  gave 
the  brown  hand  a  grasp  which  told  many  things  —  and  hur- 
ried back  to  the  road. 


:^*fc»*  CHAPTER  THIRTY-FOUR 

THE   WHEEL   OF   FATE 

PHIL  had  ninety-five  cents  left  when  he  reached  Denver 
two  days  later.  He  first  tried  to  find  out  what  the  Rosy 
Dawn  mine  had  been  doing  since  he  had  contributed  so 
liberally  to  its  start  in  life;  but  his  raiment  was  not  of  a 
character  to  arouse  the  cupidity,  or  politeness,  of  those 
having  mining  stock  to  sell,  and  it  was  not  until  the  second 
day  that  he  was  told,  rather  gruffly,  that  the  Rosy  Dawn 
had  been  absorbed  by  the  Honor  Bright.  Phil  had  expected 
no  better  news,  and  so  he  began  his  search  for  work. 

There  was  no  work  for  him  in  which  he  could  earn 
money.  He  picked  up  a  few  odd  jobs  which  provided  him 
with  food,  and  he  slept  in  the  sand  house  at  the  railroad; 
but  he  needed  a  hundred  dollars  to  insure  the  best  of  care 
for  Mat,  and  a  chance  to  earn  money  was  denied  him. 

Phil  was  no  longer  the  lone  wolf;  he  had  a  weakling  to 
protect;  and  the  world  would  be  taking  chances  if  it 
crowded  him  into  too  tight  a  corner.  On  the  day  before 
Christmas,  he  bought  some  meat  and  coffee,  and  went  up 
the  track  to  cook  it.  After  eating,  he  smoked  and  faced 
the  truth  which  had  been  eluding  him  all  his  life. 

Back  in  the  past,  he  had  taken  it  for  granted  that  it  was 
entirely  a  matter  of  choice  whether  a  man  made  a  decent 
living  at  honest  toil,  or  begged,  or  stole.  Then,  after  hav- 
ing tried  it  in  San  Francisco,  he  had  revised  his  opinion  to 

366 


THE   WHEEL   OF    FATE        367 

the  extent  of  believing  that  there  were  a  few  exceptions 
who  were  individually  so  incompetent  that  it  was  almost 
impossible  for  them  to  make  a  living  —  and  sadly  admitted 
that  he  was  one  of  the  exceptions.  Now,  after  his  suc- 
cess in  the  little  store  at  Tres  Pinos,  and  his  present  failure, 
when  he  was  eager  for  work,  and  able  to  work,  a  strange 
fierceness  came  to  him,  as  he  saw  the  truth  —  that  it  was 
not  the  individual  who  was  at  fault,  but  Society. 

"  Very  well,"  he  growled,  shaking  his  fist  at  the  city. 
"  You  have  the  right  to  refuse  me  work ;  but  if  you  choose 
to  do  it,  don't,  for  heaven's  sake,  preach  to  me  about 
morality.  I  am  going  to  send  that  boy  some  money ;  I  am 
willing,  and  able,  to  work  for  it ;  I  want  to  work  for  it ; 
but  how  I  get  it  is  not  the  important  thing.  The  im- 
portant thing  is  that  little  Mat  needs  it,  and  I  am  going  to 
send  it.  I  hereby  declare  war  upon  you  —  and  all  is  fair 
in  war." 

This  dramatic  explosion  brought  Phil  a  modicum  of  com- 
fort, and  he  returned  to  the  city  with  the  look  of  the  prowler 
once  more  in  his  eyes;  but  with  a  strange,  calm  faith  in 
his  heart.  He  did  not  want  trouble,  he  was  willing  to 
accept  any  opportunity  which  was  offered,  he  had  given  his 
will  unto  the  mystic  side  of  his  nature,  and  regarded  him- 
self merely  as  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  Fate. 

As  he  walked  the  streets,  his  lips  were  curved  in  a  seri- 
ous smile.  He  had  not  a  cent  in  his  pocket,  nor  a  doubt  in 
his  heart.  Something  was  about  to  happen  through  his 
agency  which  would  provide  him  with  money  to  send  to  his 
little  friend  back  at  Rawlins.  He  was  not  to  reason  about 
morals  or  methods ;  whatever  promised  money  was  the  sign 
that  his  silent  prayer  had  been  answered,  and  he  was  to 
do  what  there  was  to  do,  send  the  money  to  Mat,  and  then 


368        THE   KNIGHT-ERRANT 

pay  for  any  damage  he  might  have  done  to  the  forms  of 
things. 

As  the  darkness  fell,  he  wandered  toward  the  shopping 
district,  drawn  by  the  brilliantly  lighted  show  windows,  and 
the  luxury  and  comfort  they  seemed  to  suggest.  He  gazed 
for  a  long  time  into  a  jeweler's  window,  in  the  center  of 
whicji  the  scintillations  from  a  magnificent  diamond  seemed 
to  smile  and  beckon  to  him. 

He  sighed  as  he  thought  of  the  diamond  he  had  given  to 
Edith  two  years  before;  and  then  he  sighed  again  as  he 
thought  of  the  extreme  difficulty  one  would  have  in  steal- 
ing this  diamond  without  getting  caught. 

The  premonition  that  he  was  soon  to  engage  in  some 
desperate  act  pressed  closely  upon  him,  and  he  became  con- 
vinced that  in  accomplishing  this  act,  which  was  to  be  done 
entirely  for  Mat's  sake,  he  would  lose  his  own  life.  The 
thought  made  him  happy.  It  seemed  to  remove  all  trace 
of  selfishness ;  it  seemed  to  give  him  the  very  license  he  de- 
sired; it  would  turn  crime,  if  crime  were  to  be  the  way, 
into  sacrifice,  and  it  was  in  sacrifice  that  he  longed  to  pour 
out  the  life  which  seemed  of  so  little  use  to  either  the  world 
or  himself. 

His  face  in  the  light  of  the  jeweler's  window  was  calm 
and  serious,  but  it  also  beamed  with  an  inner  light;  and 
never  knight  awaited  the  call  to  enter  the  lists  more  eagerly 
than  Phil  awaited  the  sign  which  was  to  come  to  him. 
He  hoped  that  it  might  be  the  stopping  of  a  runaway,  the 
saving  of  a  child  in  a  fire,  or  some  other  deed  which  would 
not  violate  his  earlier  traditions ;  but  it  was  not  his  to  make 
selection;  it  was  merely  his  to  do  promptly  and  fearlessly 
whatever  was  offered,  and  he  turned  away  from  the  win- 
dow filled  with  the  surpassing  content  of  one  who  has  re- 


THE   WHEEL    OF    FATE        369 

signed  his  tiny  bit  of  life  into  the  keeping  of  the  Master 
of  all  life. 

As  he  turned  away,  his  foot  struck  a  small  object  which 
slid  along  the  pavement.  Looking  down,  he  recognized  a 
five-dollar  gold  piece;  and  so  overwhelmed  was  he  at  the 
chance  meeting,  that  he  felt  like  raising  his  hat  to  it;  but 
on  second  thought,  he  stooped  and  picked  it  up.  With 
hands  in  pockets,  he  stood  for  a  moment  seeking  to  in- 
terpret the  meaning  of  this  mysterious  gift.  Perhaps  will- 
ingness to  do  whatever  might  be  demanded  of  him  had  been 
all  the  test  required.  If  so,  his  absolute  readiness  had  been 
recognized  and  this  coin  had  been  sent  for  a  specific  pur- 
pose. Five  dollars,  merely  as  five  dollars,  was  of  small 
benefit  to  him,  and  so  it  was  plain  that  he  was  to  use  this 
in  such  a  way  that  it  would  supply  Mat  with  the  hundred 
dollars  necessary.  It  became  clear  to  him  in  a  moment, 
and  without  further  hesitation  he  hurried  to  that  part  of 
town  where  men  play  to  win,  and  win  to  lose. 

He  entered  a  gambling  house  and  walked  up  to  the  rou- 
lette table.  He  was  wearing  the  overalls  outside  his  woolen 
clothes ;  but  he  was  so  self-possessed  that  those  who  were 
not  playing  made  room  for  him  to  get  to  the  table,  which 
was  well  covered  with  the  chips  of  the  players.  "  This  is 
the  twenty-fourth,"  said  Phil  aloud  with  decision.  "  I'll 
play  it." 

He  placed  his  money  upon  the  twenty-four,  around  went 
the  lazy  wheel,  the  little  marble  racing  like  mad ;  but  when 
it  stopped,  it  rested  in  the  twenty-four,  and  Phil  was  worth 
one  hundred  seventy  dollars.  He  was  sure  that  this 
amount  could  not  have  been  responsible  for  all  the  queer 
feelings  he  had  been  having  that  day;  perhaps  it  was  in- 
tended for  him  to  win  enough  to  buy  a  little  store,  and  give 


370        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Mat  a  fair  chance  to  become  an  able  man.  "  What  is  your 
limit?  "  he  asked. 

"  The  ceiling,"  replied  the  croupier. 

Phil  put  the  original  coin  into  his  vest  pocket,  and  played 
his  winnings  upon  twenty-five.  When  the  marble  stopped 
that  time,  Phil  had  five  thousand,  seven  hundred  seventy- 
five  dollars.  The  crowd  jostled  about  him,  men  crowded  up 
to  touch  his  shoulder  for  luck,  others  whispered  to  him  to 
stop;  but  the  thought  had  occurred  to  Phil  that  perhaps  it 
was  intended  for  him  to  win  enough  to  go  back  to  New 
York  decently,  and  suddenly  the  face  of  Edith  came  before 
him. 

He  was  perfectly  cool  which  is  usual  with  the  instruments 
of  Fate.  "What  is  your  bank  worth?"  he  asked  pleas- 
antly. 

"  The  Earth,"  answered  the  croupier  gruffly. 

"  I  play  it  all  on  twenty-six,"  said  Phil. 

All  over  the  room  the  news  had  spread  that  a  plunger 
was  testing  the  bank,  and  the  silence  was  so  complete,  that 
the  whirr  of  the  marble  might  be  heard.  It  finally  rolled 
into  pocket  number  nine,  and  Phil  had  five  dollars ;  but  they 
were  safe  in  the  single  coin  in  his  pocket. 

Not  a  shade  crossed  his  face.  "  I  went  too  far,"  he  said 
to  himself.  "  It  was  all  right  for  me  to  try  for  the  little 
store ;  but  Edith  is  not  for  me ; "  and  he  turned  and  walked 
quietly  out  of  the  door,  wondering  if  it  was  intended  for 
him  to  play  again,  or  if  he  had  strained  the  luck  which  had 
been  sent  him  for  the  use  of  little  Mat. 

He  stood  outside  the  door  thinking:  men  had  whims, 
why  not  coins ;  it  might  be  that  the  coin  preferred  faro  to 
roulette.  Very  well,  he  would  give  it  a  chance  and  make 


THE   WHEEL   OF    FATE        371 

his  own  limit  in  advance.  He  would  put  the  little  coin  back 
in  his  pocket  at  the  first  winning,  he  would  put  the  first 
hundred  away  for  Mat,  the  second  hundred  for  himself, 
and  then  play  for  a  thousand  which  would  be  enough  to 
start  a  little  store. 

With  this  perfectly  simple  plan  agreed  to,  he  reentered 
the  room  and  went  to  a  faro  table.  He  played  nothing  but 
the  high  card,  either  open  or  coppered ;  and  at  one  time  he 
was  six  hundred  dollars  ahead;  but  when  he  stopped  a 
little  after  eight,  he  had  the  original  coin  in  his  vest  pocket, 
Mat's  hundred  in  his  left  trousers-pocket,  and  his  own  in 
the  right.  It  had  not  been  intended  that  he  should  get  the 
little  store  just  then ;  but  this  was  all  right  and  he  was  con- 
tent. Probably  he  would  need  no  little  store.  Once  more 
the  thought  came  to  him  that  he  would  not  be  asked  to 
play  the  game  of  life  much  longer. 

He  walked  to  the  jewelry  store  in  whose  window  the  dia- 
mond ring  was  still  sparkling,  entered  and  asked  to  have 
a  hole  bored  through  the  five-dollar  coin,  in  a  voice  which 
so  illy  matched  his  garb  that  the  clerk  looked  at  him  in 
surprise.  Phil  thought  that  he  did  not  understand,  and 
said,  "  I  want  this  made  into  a  fob." 

This  time  his  voice  was  even  less  typical  of  bib  over- 
alls with  the  blouse  tucked  inside;  but  so  perfectly  poised 
was  it  that  the  clerk  bowed  deferentially  and  handed  the 
coin  to  the  man  at  the  bench.  As  the  man  began  to  drill, 
he  gave  a  surprised  chuckle  and  looking  up  at  Phil  with  a 
smile  exclaimed,  "Well,  that's  a  pretty  neat  job!" 

Phil  asked  what  he  meant  and  learned  that  his  lucky 
coin  was  only  a  plated  nickle  of  that  coinage  which  mim- 
icked the  five-dollar  piece.  He  merely  smiled  and  when 


372        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  fob  was  finished,  handed  his  treasured  and  guarded 
watch  to  the  clerk,  who  was  still  further  impressed,  and 
charged  him  a  much  larger  sum  than  he  had  intended ;  but 
which  Phil  paid  in  good  money  and  without  the  slightest 
hesitation. 

As  he  passed  the  window  again  after  leaving  the  store,  the 
diamond  waved  him  a  friendly  flash,  and  again  the  wave  of 
an  impending  crisis  swept  over  him.  Suddenly  he  paused: 
could  it  be  possible  that  Edith  was  at  that  very  moment  in 
Denver,  and  that  it  was  her  life  he  was  to  save  by  giving 
up  his  own  ?  He  raised  his  eyes  to  the  clear  sky,  "  I  be- 
seech thee  to  grant  it,  good  Lord ! "  he  murmured  rev- 
erently. 

He  walked  on  aimlessly,  or  rather  questioningly ;  and  as 
he  was  passing  the  door  of  the  Palace,  a  lady  hurried  out 
to  take  a  cab.  Phil  paused  with  a  start  of  surprise,  and  she 
entered  the  cab,  the  door  was  slammed,  her  grips  were 
tossed  to  the  driver,  and  she  had  driven  away  before  he 
recovered.  It  was  Miriam  Meyer,  whom  he  knew  as 
Valerie  Florian,  and  whose  influence  was  still  large  in  his 
life. 

He  hastened  to  the  porter.  "Where  was  that  lady 
going  ?  "  he  demanded  peremptorily. 

The  man  looked  at  him  haughtily;  Phil  passed  him  a 
dollar;  and  as  this  is  a  credential  which  is  never  ques- 
tioned, the  porter's  attitude  changed  immediately.  "  She 
was  going  to  the  station,"  he  replied ;  "  but  unless  she  has 
the  best  luck  in  the  world,  she  '11  miss  her  train." 

"  If  she  returns,  tell  her  —  but  never  mind.  That  is  all. 
I  am  much  obliged." 

Phil  strolled  on  with  the  porter's  eyes  following.     Pres- 


THE   WHEEL   OF    FATE        373 

ently  the  porter  examined  the  coin  which  he  still  held  in 
his  hand. 

"  I  '11  give  you  to  the  first  man  that  tells  me  the  sort  o' 
clothes  that  sport  is  wearin'  under  those  overalls,"  he  said, 
addressing  the  silver  dollar. 


CHAPTER  THIRTY-FIVE 

AN    IDEAL   FEAST 

"  UNDER  my  agreement,  I  shall  have  to  marry  her  if  I  can," 
said  Phil  to  himself ;  "  but  I  still  think  that  it  is  only  my 
life,  not  my  name  which  is  forfeit." 

He  walked  on  until  his  own  reflection  recalled  his  pecul- 
iar appearance,  and  he  gave  a  shrug.  "  I  '11  be  deuced  if 
I  go  to  the  morgue  looking  like  that,"  he  said  to  the  re- 
flection. "  I  am  going  to  clean  up." 

He  purchased  a  pearl  felt  hat  and  gloves,  a  pair  of  the 
best  shoes  and  a  suit  of  the  best  underwear  he  could  find, 
and  with  these  and  new  linen,  he  sought  a  barber  shop. 
After  a  shave,  haircut,  and  shampoo,  he  finished  off  with 
Turkish  bath.  The  soiled  and  tattered  suit  in  which  he 
had  left  home  had  been  pressed,  cleaned,  and  repaired  while 
he  was  in  the  bath,  and  when  he  emerged  upon  the  street 
he  looked,  acted,  and  felt,  a  gentleman  —  unless  one  were 
rude  enough  to  scrutinize  the  suit,  which  was  quite  be- 
yond the  possibility  of  complete  rejuvenation. 

His  next  step  was  to  send  Mat  his  hundred  dollars  in  an 
express  order;  and  now  the  lighter  side  of  his  nature  in- 
sisted upon  taking  the  reins  for  a  time.  He  walked 
jauntily  along  the  street,  his  overalls  rolled  in  a  neat  pack- 
age. The  first  man  who  begged  him  complained  of  the 
cold,  and  Phil  gave  him  a  quarter  to  warm  him,  and  the 

374 


ANIDEALFEAST  375 

overalls  to  conserve  the  warmth  as  long  as  possible.  Ah, 
it  was  joy  to  be  able  to  give  again! 

He  became  hungry  and  registered  at  a  cheap  hotel. 
After  enjoying  a  hearty  supper,  he  went  up  to  his  room; 
but  found  that  sleep  was  entirely  out  of  the  question;  so 
he  descended,  purchased  some  cigars,  and  started  for  a 
stroll.  Warm  and  snug  in  his  new  underwear,  he  smiled 
at  the  men  who  hurried  by  him,  as  they  drew  into  their 
overcoats  to  shut  out  the  chill. 

"  Even  being  a  tramp  has  its  compensations,"  he  re- 
flected. "  Every  man  his  own  heating  plant  is  the  rule  of 
the  road,  and  a  fair  good  one.  I  wonder  if  anything  really 
is  going  to  happen  to  me  to-night." 

Phil  fairly  beamed  in  his  bodily  comfort,  and  no  hand 
was  stretched  out  to  him  in  vain.  He  passed  several  stray 
dogs  and  some  mournful  cats  on  his  way,  and  stopped  and 
talked  to  the  dogs;  but  only  found  one  cat,  a  lean  and 
dirty  gray,  who  would  come  to  him.  "  They  do  not  know 
that  I  am  one  of  them,"  he  said  a  little  wistfully.  "  I  wish 
I  could  give  them  all  one  square  meal.  I  cannot  see  how 
God  Himself  can  stand  the  sorrows  of  the  world !  " 

It  was  nearly  midnight  before  his  rambling  finally  wore 
out  his  seasoned  muscles  and  keen  zest,  and  then  he  started 
for  his  hotel.  Coming  through  a  dark  street,  he  saw  a 
slender  form  crouching  against  an  alley  wall.  He  picked 
it  up  and  found  it  to  be  a  tiny  toy  terrier  in  a  scarlet  blanket 
embroidered  with  the  name,  "  Patcy."  The  poor  little  thing 
was  half  dead  with  cold  and  he  slipped  it  into  his  coat  and 
started  on.  He  purchased  a  bottle  of  milk  and  some  fried 
oysters  at  a  restaurant,  and  went  up  to  his  room,  where 
he  heated  them,  and  fed  the  terrier  out  of  his  washbowl, 
tilted  to  suit  Patcy's  diminutive  stature.  All  the  time  that 


376        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

the  terrier  was  eating,  Phil  talked  loving  nonsense  to  him 
in  a  tender  tone  which  told  in  the  strongest  manner  possible, 
how  utterly  lonely  he  was  on  this  night  when  all  the  world 
feels  entitled  to  good  cheer  and  fellowship. 

"  I  wonder  who  is  lonely  for  you,  Patcy  Boy,"  said  Phil 
seating  himself  in  a  well-worn  rocker  and  taking  the  ter- 
rier in  his  lap.  "  I  wonder  if  it  is  some  little  child  who 
has  found  a  bit  of  real  life  wrapped  up  in  your  satin  skin ; 
or  if  it  is  some  half -woman  who  has  tried  to  hush  the  cry- 
ing of  her  mother-instinct,  by  getting  foolish  enough  over 
you  to  rob  you  of  the  natural  rights  of  self-respecting 
doghood.  I  wish,  Patcy,  that  there  was  some  way  for  us 
to  communicate  more  definitely  than  with  pats  and  wags, 
comforting  though  these  are.  You  must  have  found  much 
the  same  sort  of  world  this  evening,  that  I  found  a  year 
ago,  even  if  your  struggle  with  it  did  not  last  as  long.  It 
is  a  cold  world  to  splash  into  with  nothing  on  but  a  dress 
suit,  or  a  scarlet  blanket,  is  n't  it,  little  chap  ? 

"  Did  you  notice  the  alley  cats  and  the  stray  dogs  this 
evening,  or  did  you  spend  all  your  time  sorrowing  over 
your  own  ill  luck?  I  have  a  great  respect  for  an  alley  cat, 
Patcy;  an  alley  cat  has  solved  some  very  difficult  problems 
and  when  you  see  one  with  clean  fur  and  bright  eyes,  you 
should  bow  your  head  a  trifle,  for  you  are  gazing  upon  a 
strong  character.  There  is  so  much  sorrowful  yearning 
in  the  eyes  of  a  stray  dog,  a  genuine  stray  dog,  not  a  lost 
dog  like  you,  but  one  whose  misfit  body  and  timid  humility 
seem  to  herald  the  fact  that  he  was  doomed  from  the  be- 
ginning of  time  to  be  a  stray  dog,  that  I  always  ache  a 
little  when  I  see  one.  Of  course  they  do  not  suffer  as  you 
and  I  did ;  but  I  '11  tell  you  a  great  secret,  Patcy,  to  show 
my  confidence  in  your  refinement ;  there  is  a  very  real  com- 


AN    IDEAL    FEAST  377 

pensation  in  the  cross  of  sorrow,  and  no  life  is  complete 
which  has  not  borne  this  cross  up  at  least  one  sandy  hill." 

Phil  sat  a  long  time  in  silence,  stroking  the  tiny  terrier 
and  rocking  to  and  fro  in  restful  meditation.  "  I  '11  tell  you 
how  we  '11  celebrate  Christmas,  old  man ;  we  '11  give  a 
party !  "  he  suddenly  exclaimed.  "  We  '11  give  the  finest 
party  ever  given ;  we  shall  not  even  wait  for  the  respectable 
guests  to  send  their  regrets,  and  then  go  into  the  highways 
and  byways  to  invite  hunger  to  consume  what  opulence 
refused.  We'll  start  our  Christmas  party  in  the  Christ- 
mas spirit,  and  invite  all  the  alley  cats  and  the  stray  dogs 
of  Denver  to  hold  festival  with  us.  How  is  that  for  a 
scheme,  Patcy  Boy?  Oh,  don't  be  alarmed,  they  will  not 
all  come.  Charity  has  become  so  much  an  object  of  dis- 
gust and  suspicion  since  it  has  been  organized,  that  we  shall 
have  to  catch  our  guests  by  stealth ;  but  the  most  fun  of  all 
will  be  to  give  them  such  a  surprisingly  good  time  that  they 
can  never  after  be  sure  that  it  was  not  all  a  dream.  I 
think  that  this  will  be  my  last  Christmas,  Patcy ;  I  have  not 
been  able  to  adjust  myself  to  the  world;  but  I  have  reached 
the  point  where  I  am  able  to  renounce  it  without  a  sigh, 
and  I  am  convinced  that  this  is  the  last  lesson  we  have  to 
learn,  so  I  can  enter  into  the  spirit  of  our  party  with  an 
abounding  grace.  And  now,  little  chap,  we  '11  go  to  bed." 

Phil  Lytton  undressed,  opened  wide  the  window  and 
drank  a  deep  draught  of  the  sweet  Christmas  air  which  rolled 
down  from  the  peaks,  turned  out  the  light  and  stretched 
himself  upon  the  bed  with  the  toy  terrier  snuggled  into  the 
crook  of  his  arm.  "  I  am  not  accustomed  to  beds,  Patcy," 
he  said  drowsily;  "so  if  I  do  anything  not  in  good  form, 
I  trust  you  will  pardon  me.  Good  night,  and  merry  Christ- 
mas, to  you  —  and  all  the  world." 


378        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Phil  was  awakened  next  morning  by  an  odd  sensation 
at  the  tip  of  his  nose,  and  opened  his  eyes  to  find  that  it 
was  caused  by  the  moist  tongue  of  his  little  guest.  "  The 
same  to  you,  and  many  of  them,"  replied  Phil  with  tender 
good  nature.  He  played  with  the  terrier  for  several 
minutes,  but  beneath  his  gaiety  there  lurked  a  faraway 
seriousness,  as  though  his  soul  was  reaching  back  from  a 
great  distance  to  take  gentle  farewell  of  a  world  which  had 
not  quite  understood  him,  but  for  which  he  bore  nothing  but 
goodwill. 

"  It 's  milk  and  oysters  for  yours  again  this  morning, 
Patcy;  so  if  you  have  any  decided  taste  in  the  breakfast 
menu,  it  will  be  well  to  apply  severe  discipline  to  it." 

Leaving  the  terrier  to  eat  alone,  Phil  descended,  ate  his 
own  breakfast,  and  then  took  Patcy  for  a  walk.  The  dog 
followed  daintily  in  Phil's  footsteps,  showing  no  disposition 
to  return  to  his  former  friends ;  and  Phil  began  to  wonder 
as  to  the  ultimate  fate  of  this  new  responsibility. 

"  I  am  not  a  permanent  fixture,  Patcy  Lad,  and  you 
would  have  done  well  to  attach  yourself  to  one  more  firmly 
rooted  to  life  than  myself;  but  while  we're  together,  let 
us  take  a  sip  of  eternity  by  forgetting  time  entirely  and  en- 
joying each  other's  company  to  the  full.  There  is  some- 
thing about  you  which  gives  me  great  joy,  and  I  can  not 
account  for  this;  because,  speaking  in  general  terms,  you 
understand,  you  are  not  exactly  my  kind  of  a  dog. 

"  Well,  the  room  is  yours,"  he  said  a  little  later.  "  Be 
as  comfortable  as  you  can  while  I  go  hunt  a  place  for  our 
party." 

Phil  knew  nothing  about  Denver,  but  all  cities  have 
family  resemblances ;  and  just  in  the  neighborhood  he  ex- 
pected to  find  it,  he  came  upon  a  sign  in  a  window  which 


AN    IDEAL    FEAST  379 

read,  "  Furnished  rooms  to  rent."  He  rang  the  bell  and 
presently  the  door  was  opened  by  one  of  those  coarse,  re- 
pelling Jewesses  who  cause  one  to  marvel  that  their  race 
with  its  poetry,  its  intellectuality,  its  patient  courage,  and 
its  deeply  chiseled  history,  could  produce  such  repulsive 
individuals. 

"  I  want  a  room  on  the  ground  floor,"  said  Phil,  "  per- 
haps for  a  night,  perhaps  for  a  week,  perhaps  for  a  cen- 
tury. I  shall  pay  each  week  in  advance,  and  do  not  want 
the  room  entered  no  matter  what  sort  of  noise  you  hear. 
Have  you  such  a  room  ?  " 

"  Yess,  I  haf  sooch  a  room.  You  vant  in  id  a  bet,  I 
subbose,"  replied  the  woman  with  a  leer. 

"  Yes,  I  want  a  bed  and  a  stove  if  possible." 

"  Veil,  I  haf  dot  kint  of  a  room.  Id  vill  pe  ten  tollars 
a  veek." 

"  Would  you  make  any  reduction  if  I  took  it  by  the 
year  ?  "  asked  Phil  with  mock  seriousness. 

"  Woult  you  bay  in  atvance  ?  "  asked  the  woman  with  sin- 
cere seriousness. 

"  Well,  let  me  see  the  room  first,"  said  Phil  after  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation. 

It  was  just  the  room  he  wanted,  and  after  an  examina- 
tion, he  said,  "  I  '11  not  take  it  by  the  year,  but  ten  dollars 
a  week  seems  exorbitant." 

"  Ah,  you  can  veil  affort  to  bay.  I  can  see  dot  old  suit 
of  yours  vas  made  py  a  good  dailor.  Ven  you  vant  to  look 
like  a  poor  mans,  you  vear  alvays  a  dirdy  guffs  unt  gollars. 
I  see  not  anything  vat  goes  on  in  dis  room ;  bud  still  I  runs 
me  a  risk  mit  you  young  sports.  Ten  tollars  a  veek  is 
cheap  enough." 

Phil  was  pleased  by  the  woman's  flattery,  though  why 


380        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

he  should  have  been,  no  logical  being  could  say ;  and  he  paid 
her  and  took  his  keys.  He  bought  an  alcohol  stove  and 
pan  at  a  second  hand  store,  some  cheese,  beer,  crackers  and 
condiments  at  a  grocery,  and  after  placing  them  in  his  room, 
examined  the  neighborhood  for  potential  guests  and  then 
returned  for  Patcy. 

Patcy  seemed  pleased  with  the  new  quarters,  and  Phil 
passed  the  afternoon,  sipping  in  very  truth,  the  blessed 
peace  of  eternity.  He  had  an  inner  consciousness  that  he 
and  his  destiny  were  rapidly  drawing  together,  even  as 
some  far  off  sun  may  at  this  moment  be  rushing  through 
space  to  destroy  our  solar  system,  but  the  matter  was  en- 
tirely out  of  his  hands,  and  he  was  absolutely  free  from 
worry. 

When  night  came  he  began  to  procure  the  guests  for 
whom  he  had  provided  entertainment  in  the  shape  of  meat 
and  milk.  It  was  a  task  requiring  finesse,  especially  so  in 
the  case  of  the  alley  cats ;  but  he  finally  had  three  gaunt 
cats,  one  in  each  of  the  three  drawers  of  his  battered 
bureau,  and  four  stray  dogs  tied  to  door  knobs  and  bed 
corners.  He  made  one  more  effort,  but  after  a  half  hour 
of  vain  search,  he  decided  that  he  would  be  forced  to  con- 
tent himself  with  the  number  already  assembled,  and  re- 
turned to  his  room,  whistling  blithely. 

After  entering  he  closed  his  door  and  stood  with  his 
back  against  it  surveying  the  dogs  with  friendly  eyes. 
Five  tails  wagged  with  varying  degrees  of  hopeful  con- 
fidence, and  Phil's  heart  was  glad.  Patcy  stood  on  the 
bed  and  attempted  to  express  a  wide  range  of  emotions 
in  a  series  of  soprano  yips.  He  did  not  entirely  approve 
of  the  mixed  company,  but  was  enjoying  the  excitement. 
One  of  the  dogs  had  inherited  certain  characteristics  of  the 


AN    IDEAL   FEAST  381 

bull,  but  the  other  three  had  completely  escaped  any  sug- 
gestion of  specific  ancestry.  Beyond  doubt  they  were  dogs, 
and  beyond  doubt  this  was  as  definite  a  description  as  their 
own  mothers  could  have  given. 

Phil  untied  the  bulldog  and  proceeded  to  make  a  Welsh 
rarebit.  He  talked  incessantly,  and  his  mellow  voice  had 
a  soothing  effect  upon  the  dogs.  The  bulldog  sniffed  at  his 
fellows,  wagging  his  stumpy  tail  the  while  to  assure  them 
that  he  bore  no  malice,  and  presently  Phil  untied  them 
all. 

Introducing  the  cats  was  a  far  more  formal  proceeding, 
and  he  was  in  several  delicate  situations  before  he  made  it 
plain  that  genteel  behavior  was  expected  of  all.  He  placed 
pans  about  the  room  at  safe  intervals  and  filled  them  with 
milk,  standing  in  the  center  of  the  room  to  see  that  no 
infringement  of  etiquette  was  attempted. 

His  rarebit  was  finished  at  about  the  same  time  the  milk 
was,  and  he  filled  the  pans  with  bits  of  raw  meat  and 
lovely,  glistening  bones  before  he  sat  down  to  his  own 
feast.  Patcy  insisted  on  eating  on  the  bed,  and  Phil 
drank  the  first  toast  to  him.  At  first  there  was  consid- 
erable deep  and  guttural  rumblings,  as  the  guests  remarked 
one  to  another  as  to  the  probable  outcome  of  any  attempt 
to  rob  them  of  this  mysterious  Christmas  cheer;  but  when 
they  saw  that  even  the  marvellous  appetites  with  which  they 
had  come  to  the  feast,  would  not  be  able  to  meet  the  de- 
mands put  upon  them,  they  subsided  to  a  more  dignified  en- 
joyment of  the  bounty. 

"  What  a  queer  world  this  is,"  said  Phil  philosophically. 
"  I  only  recall  one  other  Christmas  which  cost  me  as  little 
as  this;  but  I  cannot  recall  any  which  gave  me  the  same 
amount  of  satisfaction.  As  far  as  that  goes,  this  did  not 


382        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

cost  me  anything.  Fate  gave  me  a  counterfeit  coin,  chance 
multiplied  the  gift  forty  times,  and  you,  my  respected 
guests,  have  given  me  the  enjoyment  without  robbing  your- 
selves in  the  slightest  degree.  I  hope  little  Mat  has  had 
a  good  Christmas,  and  I  wish  he  were  here  to-night.  I 
was  willing  to  work  hard  to  earn  money  to  send  him ;  but 
no  one  would  let  me  work,  yet  someone  must  have  worked 
to  produce  the  things  we  have  been  enjoying  this  evening. 
I  am  not  able  to  see  a  grain  of  sense  in  the  arrangement  of 
things;  but  I  do  see  a  lot  of  sense  in  the  hearty  way  in 
which  you  avail  yourselves  of  a  streak  of  good  luck ;  where- 
fore I  conclude  that  our  intellectual  planes  are  very  much 
on  a  level,  while  the  ordinary  human  plane  is  far  above,  or 
far  below,  ours.  It  makes  no  difference  which,  so  I  stand 
to  drink  to  your  very  good  health. 

As  Phil  seated  himself,  one  of  the  pans,  which  had  been 
provided  in  the  expectation  of  a  longer  list  of  guests,  fell 
to  the  floor  with  a  bang.  The  cats  instantly  vanished  from 
sight,  the  four  dogs  threw  themselves  into  attitudes  of 
immediate  defence,  Phil  leaped  to  his  feet  with  his  fist 
clenched,  and  Patcy  stood  on  the  bed  barking  complacently 
and  wagging  his  tail. 

"  That  tells  a  lot  of  past  history,"  said  Phil  seating  him- 
self. "  Patcy  is  the  only  one  of  us  who  has  implicit  faith 
in  the  righteousness  of  his  position.  The  rest  of  us  are 
waifs  and  outlaws;  but  he  is  an  aristocrat.  He  does  not 
expect  to  be  questioned,  he  concludes  that  the  soft  places 
are  his  by  law  and  justice,  and  he  resents  any  interrup- 
tion to  the  established  order.  Well,  on  with  the  feast,  let 
joy  be  unconfined ! " 

As  soon  as  the  cats  had  achieved  the  last  possible  gas- 
tronomic feat,  they  became  restless  and  began  to  mew 


ANIDEALFEAST  383 

plaintively.  Phil  quietly  opened  a  window  and  reseated 
himself.  "  No  formalities  are  necessary,  friends,"  he  said. 
"  I  am  a  super-host.  I  want  my  guests  to  be  so  much  at 
home  that  any  parting  convention  would  be  quite  super- 
fluous. I  wish  you  joy  for  the  rest  of  your  journey." 

The  cats  soon  departed,  each  one  giving  a  low  chirp  of 
relief  as  it  leaped  from  the  window. 

"  You  are  perfectly  welcome  to  stay,  and  there  will  be 
ample  breakfast  in  the  morning,"  he  said  politely  to  the 
dogs,  "  but  do  not  let  me  interfere  with  any  previous  en- 
gagements." 

He  held  the  door  open  and  all  the  dogs  but  the  near- 
bull,  slouched  through  it  wagging  their  tails  doubtfully,  as 
if  they  half  expected  to  be  awakened  from  a  pleasant  dream 
by  a  brutal  kick. 

Phil  stood  a  moment  in  the  outer  doorway.  A  spirit  of 
religious  fervor  was  upon  him  but  he  knew  no  way  to 
express  it.  He  looked  up  at  the  stars,  but  they  were  far 
away  and  in  their  calm  brilliancy  seemed  sufficient  unto 
themselves.  Then  he  thought  of  all  those  who  had  helped 
provide  his  feast,  tending  the  beef  cattle  and  the  milch 
cows,  brewing  the  beer,  building  the  shelter,  mining  the 
fuel,  baking  the  crackers  and  making  the  cheese;  and 
throwing  his  arms  wide,  he  said  in  a  low,  reverent  tone,  "  I 
thank  you  all  for  giving  me  this  perfect  day;  and  I  wish 
you  all  a  Happy  New  Year." 


CHAPTER  THIRTY-SIX 

A    FEAST-IDYL 

NEXT  morning,  he  gave  Patcy  and  the  bulldog  the  re- 
mains of  the  feast,  and,  leaving  the  stray  in  the  street  to 
finish  the  scraps  at  his  leisure,  spent  the  remainder  of  the 
morning  in  taking  a  long  walk  followed  by  the  toy  ter- 
rier who  seemed  to  feel  no  yearning  for  his  former  friends. 
"  Three  days  more  of  this  week,"  murmured  Phil,  his  mind 
still  on  the  crisis  he  felt  was  impending,  "  and  seven  days 
more  of  this  year.  I  wonder  when  it  will  happen." 

That  afternoon  he  wrote  a  short  note  asking  the  finder 
to  take  care  of  Patcy,  and  if  any  money  remained  after  the 
cheapest  possible  funeral  for  himself,  to  send  it  to  Mat  at 
the  hospital  in  Rawlins.  After  which  he  played  with  Patcy 
who  now  volunteered  the  information  that  he  was  a  trick 
dog,  and  displayed  quite  a  repertoire. 

"  Evidently  someone  has  spent  a  deal  of  care  on  you, 
Patcy,"  said  Phil.  "  I  suppose  that  you  will  have  small 
difficulty  in  finding  a  home.  You  have  the  look  of  the 
especially  favored,  and  I  rejoice  in  your  good  fortune." 

As  evening  approached,  Phil  became  restless ;  he  had 
eaten  a  hearty  lunch;  but  something  akin  to  hunger  was 
gnawing  at  him,  and  as  he  surveyed  himself  in  the  dingy 
glass  it  was  made  manifest.  It  was  not  for  food  alone 
that  he  was  hungry;  it  was  for  damask,  cut  glass,  and  a 

384 


A    FEAST-IDYL  385 

waiter  who  would  lean  deferentially  forward  to  take  his 
order.  He  examined  himself  doubtfully:  his  cuffs  and 
bosom  were  unmarked,  and  he  had  bought  an  extra  collar 
that  morning;  but  his  suit  was  decidedly  tattered,  in  spite 
of  the  mending  it  had  received,  and  he  shook  his  head. 
But  the  desire  would  not  die,  and  taking  the  razor  from 
his  vest  pocket  and  adjusting  the  folding  glass,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  shave  and  make  the  best  toilet  possible.  He 
whistled  merrily  as  he  dressed,  and  when  the  last  touch 
had  been  applied  to  his  tie,  he  surveyed  himself  again. 
He  knew  just  the  points  where  his  suit  showed  the  most 
wear  and  was  discouraged;  but  when  he  raised  his  eyes 
to  the  reflection  of  his  face,  he  was  pleased.  It  was  a  good 
face  to  look  into;  and  striking  his  palm  with  his  fist,  he 
exclaimed,  "By  George,  I'll  do  it!" 

"  I  '11  be  back  as  soon  as  possible,  Patcy,"  he  said  as  he 
drew  on  his  gloves,  "  but  'don't  wait  up  for  me." 

"  I  wonder  if  Valerie  caught  her  train,"  he  said  to  him- 
self as  he  closed  the  doer  behind  him.  "  I  believe  that 
whatever  is  to  happen  will  happen  this  evening.  Well,  I 
am  as  ready  for  it  as  I  can  be,  whatever  it  is." 

He  passed  several  of  the  higher  class  cafes  without  feel- 
ing any  desire  to  enter ;  but  at  last  turned  into  the  most  im- 
posing of  all.  There  was  no  lack  of  confidence,  no  hesi- 
tancy; going  up  to  the  head  waiter  who  had  just  seated  a 
group  near  the  entrance,  he  touched  him  on  the  arm,  and 
said  in  a  low  tone,  "  Show  me  into  a  private  room." 

The  voice,  the  manner,  the  linen,  and  the  set  of  the  suit 
all  spoke  in  convincing  arguments  to  the  head  waiter,  who 
would  have  been  occupying  some  other  sphere  of  usefulness 
if  he  had  not  been  a  judge  of  character. 

"  Certainly,  sir,"  he  replied,  leading  the  way  to  a  small 


386        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

room  daintily  furnished,  while  the  "  sir "  hummed  pleas- 
antly in  Phil's  ears. 

As  soon  as  he  was  seated,  Phil  proffered  a  dollar  quite 
incidentally,  which  the  head  waiter  accepted  with  such 
polished  nonchalance,  that  he  seemed  to  be  kindly  cover- 
ing a  breach  of  etiquette  which  had  been  brought  about 
through  Phil's  absent  mindedness.  "  Now  watch  closely," 
said  Phil ;  "  and  if  a  tall  man  of  military  appearance,  with 
white  moustaches  and  imperial,  and  wearing  a  long  gray 
ulster  comes  in  with  a  lady  in  a  blue  traveling  cloak,  con- 
duct them  directly  to  me,  but  let  no  others  intrude. 
But  send  a  waiter  to  take  my  order  at  once,  for  I  shall  not 
wait  for  them." 

"  I  suppose  I  should  order  gently  so  as  to  leave  more 
for  Mat,"  thought  Phil  while  he  waited;  but  the  music 
from  the  larger  room  came  to  him  with  soft  seductiveness, 
and  when  the  waiter  also  came,  his  appearance  suggested 
that  he  had  been  selected  to  take  a  liberal  order,  and  Phil 
did  not  find  it  in  his  heart  to  disappoint  him. 

"What's  the  use?"  he  asked  himself  after  the  waiter 
had  left  to  start  the  order  and  get  the  cocktail.  "  It  may 
be  that  after  all  I  am  not  going  to  be  transferred  to  an- 
other world,  but  am  only  doomed  to  marry  Valerie.  I 
hope  that  this  is  not  true ;  but  if  it  is,  I  shall  be  able  to  send 
Mat  to  college,  and  this  night,  I  simply  must  expand  a 
little.  I  am  sick  and  tired  of  being  an  alley  cat;  I  have 
agreed  to  do  whatever  Fate  ordered,  and  I  am  entitled  to 
a  little  genuine  relaxation.  I  bear  no  one  any  ill  will;  I 
am  clean  to-night,  inside  and  out,  and  I  intend  to  eat  freely 
and  with  thankful  appreciation  of  the  appetite  which  has 
been  vouchsafed  me." 

He  had  scattered  his  order  rather  fancifully  along  the 


A    FEAST-IDYL  387 

menu,  and  by  the  time  he  had  reached  the  best  cigar  in 
the  house,  he  was  in  that  state  of  mellow  content  which 
pours  itself  generously  into  space  for  the  use  of  psychics 
who  have  learned  how  to  direct  invigorating  waves  into 
their  solar  plexus,  and  can  thus,  in  a  measure,  escape  the 
terrors  emanating  from  the  cost  of  living  high. 

He  handed  the  waiter  a  double  eagle  and  when  his 
change  was  returned  was  on  the  point  of  telling  him  to 
keep  it;  but  remembering  that  his  future,  both  in  quan- 
tity and  quality,  was  quite  uncertain,  he  left  two  dollars 
upon  the  little  tray  and  let  the  remaining  six  lie  carelessly 
upon  the  damask,  the  immaculate,  satiny  damask  which  had 
been  newly  laid  for  his  especial  edification. 

The  cigar  was  the  crowning  touch,  and  he  leaned  back 
luxuriously  and  let  the  smoke  waft  gently  through  his  sys- 
tem, lulling  every  worry  to  rest  and  setting  the  nerves  to 
harmonious  melody.  His  past  had  been  lived,  there  was 
no  use  dwelling  upon  it;  his  future  had  been  taken  out  of 
his  own  hands,  there  was  no  call  to  consider  it;  this  one 
evening  had  been  given  to  him  as  a  token  that  neither 
nature  nor  the  individual  is  responsible  for  suffering,  and 
he  blew  a  ring  of  smoke  to  the  ceiling  and  with  the  smoke, 
sent  up  a  pledge  that  he  would  enjoy  it  to  the  full  extent 
of  his  capacity. 

The  ring  had  just  begun  to  twist  into  a  dozen  graceful 
forms,  when  the  head  waiter,  pompous  with  importance, 
opened  the  door,  and  to  Phil's  consternation  said  to  some- 
one outside,  "  This  is  the  gentleman,  sir.  Just  step  in." 

Phil  turned  his  face  away  from  the  door  and  cudgelled 
his  brain  for  an  explanation  which  would  give  them  no 
offence,  nor  make  them  doubt  his  sanity.  He  turned,  and 
saw  a  tall  man  with  white  moustaches  and  imperial,  wearing 


388        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

a  long  gray  ulster  and  accompanied  by  a  lady  wearing  a 
blue  traveling  cloak.  Phil  saw  these  things  in  a  blur,  and 
then  he  rose  to  his  feet,  prepared  to  make  the  best  of  it. 

He  forced  a  smile  of  apologetic  candor  to  his  lips  as  he 
rose  —  and  then  he  looked  squarely  into  the  eyes  of  the 
lady  in  the  blue  traveling  cloak.  "  Edith ! "  he  gasped ; 
"  Phil ! "  she  exclaimed ;  and  they  threw  themselves  into 
each  other's  arms. 

Colonel  Edgerton's  mouth  stood  agape  with  astonishment, 
and  then  he  said  with  undoubted  earnestness,  "  Well,  this  is 
very  remarkable ;  this  is  certainly  most  extraordinary ! " 
The  head  waiter  gave  a  broad  wink  to  the  portrait  of  a 
pointer  which  adorned  one  of  the  walls  and  softly  closed  the 
door,  while  thoughts  concerning  the  responsibilities  of  his 
position  and  his  genius  in  meeting  them,  gurgled  pleasantly 
through  a  head  which  had  instantly  expanded  to  make 
room  for  them. 

After  a  time,  the  two  who  held  the  center  of  the  stage 
drew  apart  and  gazed  at  each  other  in  growing  shyness. 
The  manner  of  his  leaving  had  dawned  upon  them  both 
at  the  same  time  —  there  had  been  no  leavetaking  or  ex- 
planations, and  he  had  not  once  written  to  her.  She  looked 
into  his  eyes  and  the  warm  light  in  them  reassured  her. 
"  Phil,"  she  said  irrelevantly,  reproachfully,  tenderly, 
"  what  on  earth  are  you  wearing  such  soiled  clothes  for  ?  " 

"  Who  —  me  ?  "  rejoined  Phil,  glancing  down  at  his  suit 
in  amazement,  and  spurring  his  imagination  to  adequate 
action.  "  Why  I  —  you  see  —  Well,  I  was  under  my  motor 
car  fixing  it,  you  know  —  I  have  always  fixed  it  myself 
since  you  let  me  know  you  liked. to  have  me  do  it;  and  it 
started  and  I  was  wound  around  in  the  cogs  a  little. 
Now  " —  waving  his  hand  as  though  his  entire  past  had 


A    FEAST. IDYL  389 

been  laid  bare  — "  Lay  aside  your  wraps  and  take  seats. 
I  'm  wild  to  hear  — " 

"  What  a  fortunate  thing  you  were  not  killed ! "  cried 
Edith,  sympathy  causing  her  brow  to  wrinkle  in  an  ex- 
pression of  apprehensive  dread.  "  Were  you  not  hurt  at 
all?" 

"  Not  at  all,  not  the  least  bit.  Forget  all  about  me  and 
sit  down  and  tell  me  the  news." 

Colonel  Edgerton,  however,  had  a  well-known  tenacity 
for  getting  to  the  bottom  of  things.  "  Why,  man  alive, 
Phil,"  he  demurred,  "  you  could  never  have  got  your 
clothes  marked  up  like  this,  without  your  linen  even  getting 
soiled." 

Phil  swallowed  his  opinion  of  the  Colonel  and  took  an- 
other jump.  He  was  in  an  ecstasy  of  excitement  at  meet- 
ing Edith,  at  finding  her  more  beautiful  than  ever,  at  feel- 
ing all  his  doubts  vanish,  and  the  fibers  of  his  being  reach 
out  and  twine  about  her;  and  he  cared  nothing  whatever 
for  the  truth.  All  he  wished  was  to  suppress  bothersome 
questions. 

"  Certainly  not,  Colonel,  certainly  not,"  he  rejoined,  as 
if  surprised  that  the  Colonel's  imagination  could  not  sup- 
ply the  unimportant  details  which  were  lacking,  "  but  I 
happened  to  have  a  change  of  linen  with  me,  and  simply 
stepped  in  here  and  made  the  change.  And  now,  will  you 
please  be  seated?" 

The  Colonel,  with  a  persistence  worthy  of  a  better  cause, 
examined  the  floor  of  the  room.  "  Where  is  the  soiled 
linen  ?  "  he  asked  skeptically. 

"Colonel,"  said  Phil  slowly,  and  with  exaggerated  and 
slightly  exasperated  frankness,  "  if  you  insist  upon  know- 
ing the  ridiculous  truth,  I  am  wearing  these  soiled  duds 


390        THE    KNIGHT- ERRANT 

to  pay  an  election  bet.  Perfectly  silly  and  all  that;  but 
then  one  has  to  be  game,  you  know.  Now,  then,  let's 
change  the  subject.  Just  imagine  that  I  am  in  evening 
dress,  or  anything  else  you  like,  and  tell  me  what  good  luck 
brought  you  here." 

"  It  was  not  good  luck,  it  was  bad,"  began  Edith,  but 
paused  at  the  crestfallen  expression  which  leaped  to  Phil's 
face. 

Colonel  Edgerton's  scruples  were  not  yet  satisfied. 
"  What  election  ?  "  he  asked.  "  There  was  no  presidential 
election  this  fall." 

"  No  ?  No,  oh,  no,  of  course  not.  No,  it  was  n't  a  po- 
litical election  at  all,"  said  Phil,  cursing  his  luck  for  not 
having  kept  posted.  He  could  not  at  that  instant  recall 
the  name  of  anyone  who  had  been  elected  since  Lincoln ; 
but  under  the  present  circumstance,  promptness  was  the 
soul  of  success ;  so  he  smiled  into  the  Colonel's  eyes  and 
explained,  "  It  was  in  our  church,  you  see.  A  great  friend 
of  mine  wanted  to  be  Senior  Warden,  and  it  looked  like  a 
sure  thing ;  but  it  was  n't.  Now  that  is  finally  settled,  and 
if  you  can  possibly  forget  my  raiment  for  a  few  moments, 
I  wish  that  you  would  remove  your  wraps  and  dine  with 
me.  I  am  crazy  to  hear  all  the  news,  and  I  have  a  bad 
toothache  which  makes  talking  painful,  so  I  '11  just  sit 
and—" 

"  Making  freak  bets  upon  the  election  of  a  church  warden 
is  the  farthest  north  in  idiocy,"  snapped  the  Colonel. 
"  Lytton,  you  don't  really  mean  — " 

"  It  does  sound  queer,  does  n't  it ;  but  this  is  the  way 
they  do  things  out  here.  I  'm  sorry  you  're  not  going  to 
stay  longer  so  you  could  meet  some  of  my  friends.  Now, 
Edith,  tell  me  what  you  are  doing  out  this  way,  how  long 


A   FEAST-IDYL  391 

you  intend  to  stay,  and  what  changes  have  taken  place 
since  I  became  engrossed  in  mining."  Phil  had  no  idea 
what  explanation  he  would  make,  but  had  faith  in  himself 
if  he  could  only  get  the  others  talking  and  have  a  few  mo- 
ments in  which  to  think. 

"  We  were  on  our  way  to  Los  Angeles,  and  I  got  off  the 
train  to  take  Patcy  for  a  walk  — " 

"  Patcy  ?  "  exclaimed  Phil. 

"  Yes,  my  toy  terrier.  The  Colonel  gave  him  to  me  a 
year  ago  this  Christmas,  and  he  grew  tired  of  riding  in  the 
basket  — " 

"  Well,  that  beats  anything  I  could  make  up,"  interrupted 
Phil.  "  Why  Patcy  is  a  great  friend  of  mine.  We  were 
joint  hosts  at  a  perfectly  corking  party  last  night.  Patcy 
is  all  right.  He  is  over  at  my  —  ah  —  apartment  now." 

"Why,  Phil,  what  ever  in  the  world  can  you  mean?" 
demanded  Edith.  He  did  not  reply,  he  merely  looked  at 
her  and  was  glad.  She  seemed  younger  than  when  they 
had  parted,  she  seemed  less  confident  in  herself,  she  seemed 
to  have  developed  something  of  the  clinging  vine ;  and  Phil 
felt  himself  swell  with  strength  and  confidence.  This  was 
no  time  for  reason,  and  so  he  entirely  overlooked  his 
financial  resources  and  prospects,  and  settled  to  the  now 
comfortable  level  of  intrinsic  personality. 

But  all  this  was  foreign  to  Colonel  Edgerton's  mental 
processes.  "  Now,  see  here,  Lytton,"  he  said  with  the  irri- 
tating generosity  which  locks  all  the  doors  and  then  offers 
its  victim  the  choice  of  any  avenue  of  escape  which  suits 
his  whim,  "  I  '11  be  hanged  if  I  believe  that  you  are  the 
kind  of  a  fellow  who  would  make  a  freak  bet  upon  the 
election  of  a  church  warden  —  it  is  preposterous!  Of 
course  if  you  wish  to  conceal  something,  that  is  none  of  my 


392        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

affair ;  but  the  more  you  explain  the  less  plausible  you  be- 
come." 

Poor  Phil ;  he  had  hoped  to  enjoy  one  more  evening  with 
Edith,  and  then,  if  circumstances  forced  them  to  part  for- 
ever, to  give  her  a  fictitious  explanation  which  would  sat- 
isfy her  without  arousing  her  pity  for  him.  He  well  knew 
how  she  despised  the  failures  among  men,  and  he  also 
knew  that  his  own  pride  would  prevent  his  accepting  any- 
thing in  the  nature  of  bounty;  but  as  there  appeared  no 
way,  short  of  personal  violence,  in  which  he  could  suppress 
the  Colonel's  restless  spirit  of  investigation,  he  decided  to 
make  a  clean  breast  of  it,  say  farewell  for  all  time,  and 
drop  out  of  their  lives  as  gracefully  as  possible. 

He  heaved  a  sigh,  and  then  he  squared  his  shoulders  and 
looked  the  Colonel  in  the  eyes.  His  own  eyes  were  clear, 
his  skin  was  smooth  and  tanned,  there  was  no  suggestion  of 
weakness  in  the  poise  of  his  head,  and  Edith  almost  for- 
got to  listen  to  his  words,  so  great  was  her  joy  in  merely 
looking  at  him. 

"  No,  Colonel  Edgerton,"  he  said  in  low,  even  tones, 
neither  of  apology  nor  defiance,  but  of  simple  and  sincere 
affirmation,  "  all  I  have  said  has  been  false.  If  you  insist 
upon  dragging  the  truth  from  me,  I  am  wearing  this  suit 
because  it  is  the  only  one  I  possess.  If  you  examine  more 
closely,  you  will  perceive  that  it  is  the  identical  one  I  was 
wearing  when  I  left  you  that  night  in  New  York.  Since 
then  I  have  lived  as  a  roustabout  or  a  tramp.  Day  before 
yesterday  I  found  a  counterfeit  five-dollar  gold  piece," — 
unconsciously  touching  his  fob  and  calling  their  attention 
to  its  adornment  — "  and  bought  some  new  shoes  and 
gloves,  linen,  hat,  and  underwear.  This  dinner  is  the  first 


A    FEAST-IDYL  393 

one  I  have  had  worthy  of  the  name,  for  a  year.  Now,  you 
have  the  whole  truth,  and  I  hope  you  are  satisfied." 

There  was  nothing  in  life  that  the  Colonel  admired  above 
truth  —  except,  of  course,  in  the  single  exception  of  his  own 
peculiar  real  estate  business  —  and  he  carefully  examined 
the  array  of  dishes,  the  champagne  bottle,  and  the  change 
lying  upon  the  table. 

"  I  feel  that  we  are  entitled  to  better  treatment  than  this," 
he  said  stiffly.  "  If  you  have  purchased  all  these  things 
and  still  had  six  dollars  in  change  left  from  a  counterfeit 
five-dollar  gold  piece,  it  is  a  shame  that  you  did  not  find  a 
good  one,  so  that  you  might  have  invested  in  a  row  of 
office  buildings.  You  are  certainly  under  no  obligations 
to  me  to  explain  yourself;  but  I  feel  that  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, I  am  justified  in  believing  that  you  have  not 
told  the  truth  because  the  truth  would  hot  bear  telling,  and 
I  shall  ask  my  ward  to  withdraw  to  another  room  until 
I  have  time  to  settle  a  few  business  matters  with  yourself. 
Edith." 

Edith  had  long  since  been  of  age,  and  even  before  that 
had  domineered  the  Colonel  shamefully;  but,  probably 
upon  this  very  account,  his  sudden  stand  of  dignified  stern- 
ness swept  away  her  own  independence  utterly.  She 
raised  her  eyes  to  Phil's ;  but  although  his  face  was  red,  he 
stood  as  if  turned  to  stone,  looking  over  her  head  and  into 
the  Colonel's  eyes,  and  his  expression  promised  a  stormy 
scene  at  their  private  interview. 

She  arose  and  walked  to  the  door  in  a  slow,  hesitating 
manner,  like  one  dazed  by  a  blow.  She  passed  through  the 
door,  but  before  the  Colonel  could  close  it,  she  hurried 
back.  "  No,"  she  cried,  "  I  must  find  out  —  I  must  know 


394        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

what  he  meant  when  he  —  when  he  said  that  he  gave  a 
party  with  Patcy." 

She  finished  rather  lamely,  as  a  subterfuge  must  always 
appear  as  a  substitute  for  frankness.  She  felt  this  her- 
self, and  putting  her  hands  on  Phil's  shoulders,  and  looking 
into  his  face  said  brokenly,  "  Oh,  Phil,  tell  me  what  — 
tell  me  what  it  all  means.  I  know  that  at  first  —  I  know 
you  were  glad  to  see  me  when  I  first  came  in.  Tell  me 
there  is  no  reason,  no  real  reason  why — " 

Phil  stood  rigid  with  his  hands  at  his  sides ;  and  she 
could  not  finish.  She  turned  from  him,  threw  herself  into 
a  chair,  buried  her  face  in  her  arms,  and  without  caring 
what  anyone  thought  of  her,  gave  way  to  sobs.  Critical 
moments  have  this  unpleasant  habit  of  stripping  formality 
from  us  and  leaving  our  souls  naked  and  our  inmost  emo- 
tions bare  to  all  the  world. 

She  had  not  known  how  much  she  had  loved  him  until 
he  had  gone  away,  and  in  losing  him  she  had  found  herself, 
and  in  finding  herself  she  had  been  able  to  see  clearly  many 
phases  of  life  which  had  formerly  been  dim  and  vague. 

Her  love  for  him  had  grown  stronger  with  the  months 
of  silence,  each  day  of  which  seemed  to  make  it  the  more 
hopeless;  and  now  that  she  had  found  him  again  it  was 
too  late,  for  when  his  arms  refused  to  clasp  her,  she  ac- 
cepted it  as  a  sign  that  some  insurmountable  barrier  held 
them  apart.  She  did  not  care  that  he  had  been  a  tramp 
and  a  failure ;  her  new  love  did  not  demand  achievement ; 
all  it  asked  was  clean,  pure  love  in  return ;  but  even  this 
was  denied  her,  and  when  her  head  sank  upon  the  table, 
she  wished  it  might  continue  on  to  the  center  of  the 
earth. 

Phil  placed  his  hand  upon  the  back  of  her  chair  and  said 


•  a 

I/; 


Critical  moments  have  this  unpleasant  habit  of  stripping 
formality  from  us  and  leaving  our  souls  naked  and  our 
inmost  emotions  bare  to  all  the  world. 


A    FEAST-IDYL  395 

in  a  tremulous  voice,  heavy  with  the  tenderness  of  love  and 
the  sadness  of  farewell,  "  Edith,  I  do  love  you.  Not  a  day 
has  passed  since  I  have  been  a  wanderer,  but  what  my  heart 
has  cried  out  for  you.  Whatever  my  other  failures  have 
been,  my  love  for  you  has  not  failed  —  even  though  I  ad- 
mit that  I  have  tried  to  tear  it  out  by  the  roots,  time  and 
again.  I  knew  how  you  despised  men  who  failed,  and  I 
could  not  face  you  after  going  to  smash  back  in  New  York ; 
and  since  then  I  have  found  that  I  am  not  able  even  to 
take  care  of  myself.  I  am  not  fit  to  be  depended  on  in 
any  emergency,  I  can  not  even  tell  a  true  friend  from  a 
false." 

Here  Phil  darted  the  Colonel  a  savage  look,  and  con- 
tinued in  a  softer  tone,  a  tone  in  which  sorrow  and  disap- 
pointment were  fused  into  trust,  the  twilight  voice  of  a 
little  child,  confessing  the  shortcomings  of  his  wayward 
day,  so  that  the  maternal  arms  might  clasp  him  freely 
while  he  slipped  off  into  the  strange  forgetfulness  of  sleep. 
Phil  could  not  remember  his  own  mother,  and  all  his  life 
the  lonely-child  part  of  him  had  been  reaching  out  to  other 
women  for  that  earlier  comfort  of  which  he  had  been  de- 
prived. "  You  have  always  been  so  strong  and  competent 
yourself,  Edith,  that  I  could  not  come  to  you  with  my 
broken  life,  and  so  I  left  you  —  and  so  I  must  leave  you 
again.  It  is  not  all  due  to  a  lack  of  ambition,  it  is  not  all 
because  I  give  up  too  easily,  it  is  not  all  recklessness ;  some 
of  us  seem  doomed  to  be  failures,  and  I  am  one  of  the 
doomed.  I  acted  like  a  baby  in  leaving  you  as  I  did ;  but 
I  knew  myself,  and  I  know  myself  still  better  now.  It  will 
be  impossible  for  me  to  fight  back  to  you;  and  this  is  the 
only  way  that  I  could  come  back;  so  you  must  just  for- 
get me. 


396        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

"  My  last  statement  was  true ;  I  did  find  a  counterfeit 
five-dollar  gold  piece,  gambled  with  it,  and  won  a  little 
money.  Patcy  really  is  over  at  my  room  now ;  and  as  soon 
as  I  bring  him  to  you,  we  shall  say  farewell  and  this  night 
will  fade  away  like  a  dream."  He  paused,  and  then  added 
passionately,  "  No,  it  never  can  do  that :  in  sorrow,  in 
trial,  in  disappointment,  I  shall  remember  the  perfect  trust 
in  your  eyes  to-night  when  you  kissed  me,  and  it  will  keep 
me  strong.  I  never  can  do  the  large  things  you  are  en- 
titled to ;  but  I  am  going  to  struggle  to  do  the  small  things 
well,  and  you  may  know,  wherever  you  are  and  whatever 
you  do,  that  your  memory  is  helping  me.  Honestly,  Edith, 
all  I  possess  in  this  world,  is  that  change  upon  the  table  and 
a  few  gold  pieces  in  my  pocket.  I  don't  want  you  to  worry 
about  me ;  because  I  have  learned  to  run  a  little  store  and 
expect  to  get  hold  of  one  soon;  but  just  now,  I  am  nothing 
but  a  tramp ;  so  shake  hands  — " 

"  And  it  serves  you  right  too ! "  interrupted  the  pur- 
turbed  Colonel.  "  I  am  glad  that  you  have  been  punished 
for  your  idiotic  foolishness  in  running  away  and  leaving 
me  with  your  gambling  schemes  on  my  hands." 

"  I  don't  care  a  pin  what  happened  to  you,"  said  Phil 
fiercely,  rejoicing  in  a  legitimate  outlet  for  his  emotions. 
"  You  have  brought  all  this  about  through  your  infernal  in- 
sistence upon  making  me  confess ;  while  your  own  — " 

"  Hushhh,"  said  the  Colonel  holding  up  his  hand  before 
Phil  could  make  any  allusion  to  his  fictitious  activities  in 
genuine  real  estate.  "  Do  you  recall  the  stocks  you  left  in 
my  hands  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  at  that  time  they  were  worth  enough  to  pay 
my  margins.  If  you  hung  on  until  they  were  wiped  out, 
you  get  no  sympathy  from  me." 


A    FEAST-IDYL  397 

"  I  never  before  knew  how  many  kinds  of  a  fool  you  were, 
Phil,"  said  the  Colonel,  forgetting  that  he  had  formerly 
intimated  that  Phil  was  all  the  kinds  of  fool  possible. 
"  Everything  you  touched  turned  to  gold :  the  rubber  stock 
is  worth  twice  what  you  paid  for  it;  Wilson  and  Hereford 
are  absolutely  honest  and  rapidly  becoming  independently 
rich;  even  that  fool  gold  mine  closed  at  a  hundred  per 
cent,  profit ;  and  I  'm  ashamed  to  say  how  much  you  made 
on  that  cotton  deal,  simply  because  I  could  not  find  out 
how  to  drop  it  until  after  the  market  had  swung  around 
again  in  your  favor.  You  —  well,  I  'm  not  quite  sure  ex- 
actly what  you  are  worth ;  but  you  can  afford  to  buy  a  new 
country  store  every  day  in  the  week,  if  that  really  is  what 
you  want  to  do." 

Edith's  tears  had  stopped  flowing  and  she  had  raised  her 
head  until  she  could  see  the  look  of  amazement  upon  Phil's 
face  give  way  to  one  of  unbounded  joy.  When  his  eyes 
dropped  to  hers  they  met  in  a  clinging  caress. 

"  O  Edith,"  he  said  putting  his  arms  about  her.  She 
only  sighed,  but  it  was  beyond  doubt  the  correct  answer. 

"  We  can  be  married  to-morrow,  can't  we  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Why,  no,  Phil,"  she  answered,  smiling  rosy  red,  "  I 
have  n't  any  clothes." 

"  Have  n't  any  clothes  ?  "  echoed  Phil,  whose  recent  ex- 
perience made  for  literal  interpretation. 

"  I  mean  wedding  clothes,  of  course,  goosie,"  answered 
Edith  laughing  softly. 

"  I  'm  glad  I  ran  away  from  you,"  said  Phil,  in  response 
to  the  laugh  which  seemed  to  tingle  through  him.  "  You 
—  some  way  you  seem  so  much  closer  and  —  and  warmer 
than  you  used  to." 

"  I  think  I  'm  glad  you  ran  away,  now,  myself,"  replied 


398        THE    KNIGHT-ERRANT 

Edith.  "  The  lines  in  your  face  are  so  much  stronger  than 
they  used  to  be." 

"  I  'm  mighty  glad  you  like  the  lines,  sweetheart,"  said 
Phil,  who  had  forgotten  the  existence  of  Colonel  Edgerton. 
"  It  was  heaps  of  bother  getting  them  chiseled  in ;  but  if 
they  suit  you,  why,  we  '11  let  them  stay." 

"  Is  there  going  to  be  much  more  of  this  ?  "  demanded 
the  Colonel,  as  Phil  and  Edith  realized  the  weakness  of  lan- 
guage and  availed  themselves  of  more  comprehensive  ex- 
pression. 

"  Oh,  by  the  way,  Colonel,"  said  Phil,  "  I  have  found  the 
missing  heir,  and  she  is  a  most  deserving  girl  with  golden 
hair." 

"What  heir?"  asked  the  Colonel. 

"  Golden  hair  ?  "  questioned  Edith. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Phil.  "  Now,  you  can  freeze  out 
the  ex-canalboaters  and  reorganize  your  real-estate  business 
along  more  profitable  lines ;  but  I  have  become  hungry  again, 
and  you  are  still  hungry  '  so  for  pity's  sake,  sit  down  and  let 
me  show  you  how  to  order  a  regular  meal,  and  then  I  '11 
go  get  Patcy.  This  is  a  great  day  for  Maumee  Mat !  Oh, 
I  have  a  lot  to  tell  you;  sit  down." 


THE   END 


II  INI  II  III1  I 

A     000130466    6 


